Friday, August 29, 2008

Mehdi Akhavan: Thou this Ancient Land, I adore thee

Mehdi Akhavan Saless was a prominent Persian poet. He is one of the pioneers of Free Verse (New Style Poetry) in Persian language. He was born in 1928 in Mashhad and died in 1990 and buried in his home town. His tomb is so simple (the simplest I've ever seen). Sometimes I think he is not well admired. Akhavan's forte is epic; more precisely, he chooses themes of epical proportion. I love his poems as well as many other Iranians.

From all things earthly, if I acclaim
Thee this land so ancient, I adore

Thee the birth place of so many nobles
Cherisher of magnanimity, I adore


Thine Ormuzd and Yazatas, I revere

To thine ancient prophet
A wisdom seeking sage whom I adore

The noble Zarathushtra, more so than
all other sages and prophets I adore

Humanity better than him has not seen and will not
and this noblest of humanity I adore

His trios the best guide for the world
This concise, impactful guide I adore

This great Iranian a leader
This Iranian leader I adore

Never killed, nor asked others to
This noble role modeling I adore

Tine Ferdowsi, the legendary literary tower he erected
placed in the hall of fame and glory, I adore

تو را ای کهن بوم و بر دوست دارم
مهدی اخوان ثالث