Poetry from the Persian World

Persian poetry is famed for the richness of its heritage, with many classical poets such as Rumi and Hafez read internationally. But little is known about how contemporary Persian-language poets enrich and enliven the tradition today.

Reza Mohammadi is one of the most exciting of a new generation of Afghan poets to have emerged since the demise of Taliban control. Azita Ghahreman is one of the foremost female Iranian poets of her generation. Their work is read in translation by Laird and Dooley, two of the most renowned English language poets today, with Julia Bird of the Poetry Translation Centre moderating.