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Oct 19, 2012

Iranian Poet and Painter Sohrab Sepehri 1928 To 1979

Sohrab Sepehri (October 7, 1928 - April 21, 1980) was a notable modern Persian poet and a painter. He was born in Kashan in Isfahan province.
He is the most popular figure of Iranian modern poetry. His literary style is simple and verses are written in a way very close to spoken language. Some of his poems have either meter or a mild melody while some others have no meter and no rhyme. His most popular poems, however, belong to the former category.
A selection of his poems has been put to music by the celebrated musician Shahram Nazeri, in an al bum called “Dar Golestaneh”. His poems have also been featured in a few Iranian movies, for instance in ‘Where is the house of myfriend?’ by the critically acclaimed Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami.
In his poems he talks about the relationship between nature and human spirit. They mainly turn around the idea of re-discovering and returning to the roots and appreciating its beauty and serenity instead of giving in to the down-ward spiral of modern life’s preoccupations. He died in Tehran of leukemia at the age of 51.
This website contains my rendition of a selection of his poems, including the English version of The Footsteps of Water. Footsteps of Water is a long poem that was first published as a separate work. Note that the illustrations in this website, with some obvious exceptions, are selected from Sohrab's paintings.
Birth of Iranian Poet Sohrab Sepehri 
Death of Iranian Poet Sohrab Sepehri  
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Item Reviewed: Iranian Poet and Painter Sohrab Sepehri 1928 To 1979 Description: 1928 Born in Kashan, Iran Education: Khayam School and first part of high school "Pahlavi High School" in Kashan Introduction college in Tehran 1946 Commenced with "Training and Education Culture Office", Kashan 1948 Resignation from "Training and Education Culture Office" Finishing high school in "Literature" field Faculty of Fine Arts, Tehran University Commenced with "Oil Company", Tehran 1949 Resignation from "Oil Company" 1951 Published his first collection of poems "Color's Death" Commenced with "Hygiene Cooperation Organization", Tehran, as designer Collaborated in some painting exhibitions Published his second collection of poems, "Dream's Life" Commenced with "Fine Arts Office" in Museum Dept. and teaching in "Fine Arts School" 1955 Translated Japanese verses and published in "Sokhan" (Speech) magazine 1957 Traveled to Europe via land, Paris and London Paris Fine Arts School: Lithography Field 1958 First Tehran Biennale Two months travel, Rome to Paris Venice Biennale Returned to Iran Commenced with "Agriculture Ministry" 1960 Second Tehran Biennale; First Prize of Fine Arts Traveled to Tokyo to learn inlay; he visited cities and art centers of Japan 1961 He visited Agra (Taj-Mahal) in India, in his return to Iran Individual Exhibition, Abbasi Hall, Tehran Published collection of poems "Sun's Load" Teaching in "Decorative Arts School", Tehran Published collection of poems "Sorrow's East" 1962 March, Resignation from all his governmental positions Individual exhibition in "Farhang Hall", Tehran Again, individual exhibition in "Farhang Hall", Tehran 1963 Group exhibition in "Gil-Gamesh" gallery, Tehran Individual exhibition in "Golestan Film Studio", Tehran San Paolo Biennale, Brazil Group exhibition "Iran Contemporary Art", French Group exhibition in "Niala" gallery, Tehran Group exhibition in "Saba" gallery, Tehran 1964 Traveled to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan and returned to Iran 1965 Group exhibition in "Bourges" gallery, Tehran Individual exhibition in "Bourges" gallery, Tehran Published "Water's Foot Voice" poem in "Arash" magazine Traveled to London and Munich and returned to Iran 1966 Traveled to France, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Austria and retuned to Tehran Individual exhibition in "Seihoun" gallery, Tehran Collection of poems "Green Volume" "Sepehri Night Poem" in "Rozan" gallery, Tehran 1968 Group exhibition in "Mass" gallery, Tehran "Roiane Festival", French Iran Contemporary Art exhibition, "Goatee Institute", Tehran Group exhibition in "Pahlavi University", Shiraz 1969 International Painting Festival, French; and won "Special Prize" 1970 Traveled to USA, Long Island Group exhibition in Bridge Hampton City Seven months in New York Returned to Iran Again, traveled to USA 1971 Individual exhibition in "Boston Gallery", New York Retuned to Iran Individual exhibition in "Lito Gallery", Tehran 1972 Individual exhibition in "Cyrus Gallery", French, Paris Transferred the above exhibition to "Seihoun Gallery", Tehran Individual exhibition in "Seihoun Gallery", Tehran Traveled to Paris and stayed in "Arts International Hostel" 1974 Traveled to Greece and Egypt Retuned to Iran First Tehran International Art Exhibition 1975 Individual exhibition in "Seihoun Gallery", Tehran 1976 Iran Contemporary Art Exhibition, Switzerland 1977 Collection of poems "Eight Books" 1978 Individual exhibition in "Seihoun Gallery", Tehran Reprinted "Eight Books" Traveled to England for his blood cancer Retuned to Iran 1979 April 20, deceased in Pars Hospital, Tehran April 21, buried in Meshed Ardehal, KashanWhere are my shows? Who was it who called Sohrab? It was a familiar voice like the touch of the wind on the leave. My mother is asleep So are Manouchehr and Parvaneh* and perhaps all the townsfolk. The June night passes gently over seconds like an elegy, And a cool breeze from the corner of the blanket sweeps my sleep. It smells of separation: My pillow is full of the song of the swallow plumes. Morning shall break, The sky will migrate With this cup of water. I must go tonight! I who spoke to the folk in this region through the widest window, Never heard a word that matched time; No loving eye stared at the ground; Nobody was enchanted by looking at the garden, Nobody took a magpie seriously at a farm. I am dejected like a cloud. When I behold Houri - the neighbor's full grown lass - Studying theology At the foot of the rarest elm tree on earth. There are other things also - moments of exaltation (For example I saw a poetess So absorbed watching the horizon That the sky laid eggs in her eyes; And one night out of other nights, A man questioned me: "How long does it take to the rising of grapes?) Tonight I must go! I must take a suitcase Big enough to contain my shirt of loneliness And walk in a direction Where epic-singing trees can be seen; Towards the vast wordless expanse which keeps calling me. Someone called me again: Sohrab!, Where are my shoes? Rating: 5 Reviewed By: Unknown
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