Rosa Jamali Is On Goodreads, And That's A Great Place to Say Hello to Her....

               

I met the readworthy Iranian poet Rosa Jamali on Goodreads. If you're on the site, say hello and check out her writing. I think you will enjoy her poetry. She's done some translations of her own works from Persian to English. I will reproduce one of my favorite poems (with the author's permission). I love the title of her first book!

Here is a brief, but fascinating, bio:

Poet, Playwright, Critic & Translator

Rosa Jamali was born in November 1977. She received a Bachelors degree in Drama from the Art University of Tehran. Her first book, THIS DEAD BODY IS NOT AN APPLE; IT IS EITHER A CUCUMBER OR A PEAR, was published in 1997. Many reviews of this book appeared in the literary magazines. Jamali describes an absurd world in which words have lost their real meanings; they're just objects jumbled in the world. The author breaks with syntactic conventions, and there is an abundance of wordplay. The main theme of the book is the identity of objects, and their cultural ontology. It has been observed that Jamali's book opened new possibilities in contemporary Persian poetry.

Her second collection of poetry, MAKING A FACE, was published in the same year. Readers were impressed with the author's hability in using different types of discourse: sometimes archaic, sometimes colloquial, spoken, written, formal, informal, journal-like reporting, scientific modes of discourse and others. Her poetry is not afraid to explore the erotic or to assume a challenging tone. Jamali has adapted a kind of music from classical Persian poetry, and has tried to give it the natural tone of speaking.

Her preferred mode of narration is stream of consciousness. Jamali's mordant sense of humour, and the philosophical legerity which is an earmark of her style, make her work distinctive. During these years, Jamali wrote a number of book reviews and critical articles, and often expounded on her own poetics in her critical writing on the work of her contemporaries.

Her third book of poetry, MAKING COFFEE RUN: A CRIME STORY, came out in 2002. In this book, there's a long dramatic poem by this name, which draws upon a very important Persian long story titled BLIND OWL, by Sadegh Hedayat. In BLIND OWL, the male narrator of the story chops a woman to pieces, but the poem's version of the tale takes an unexpected turn. The descriptions are the ones you see in crime fiction, but here the narrator exists inside the story, and the point of view changes very often. It has been observed that the words are so "cruel" and "rough" in this collection that "one can't believe a woman has written the piece."

In an Interview, Jamili says: "I've been inspired by mythological women and Greek tragic figures such as Medea, who killed her children and set fire to her dwelling, and Antigone, who could not find a place to bury her brother with dignity. Also, in the history of Islam there is a woman called 'Hendeye jegarxar' who is renowned for her cruelty, and who eats the fallen pieces of The Prophet Mohammad's uncle. Also I've been inspired by crime fiction, but there's a point...you see, in Greek tragedies a murder is a sacrifice, and and for salvation. But in a civilized society, such as Dostoyevski describes in CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, when Roskolnikov kills, he falls to regret. In my poem I wanted to convey that old mythological significance.' The poem has many references to Biblical myths and characters."

You can read more at Rosa Jamali's website: http://www.rosajamali.com/

There is an option to select English as your native language and the site will be translated for you.


     THE FLINTSTONE

       (translated by the author from original Persian to English)




BLOCK NO.1

They bargain a rough stone owing you
Not clear!
Is it the stone of fire
Or a flintstone?




BLOCK NO.2

A piece of my happiness owing the flintstone
You've turned to rocks owing the flintstone...




BLOCK NO.3

I'm in debt with the flintstone




BLOCK NO.4

It casts a spell
To desire
Behind the railings.



BLOCK NO.5

I'm the mother of this flintstone
I've nourished it
I've shed tears on it
If the world is on fire,
It's my guilt.



BLOCK NO.6

I've betrayed the air
God is disabled by it.



BLOCK NO.7

You've taken the vow of silence? !