Hassan Tavakoli, songwriter, singer and producer
Since time immemorial, man has striven to create gems of wisdom from the least amount of worthwhile words that exist in his language in order to explain concepts that would otherwise consume thousands of ordinary words in an exhausting effort. Such an artistic endeavor has been named poetry. Thus, poetry is as old as history – a form of art that captivates one’s attention for its aesthetic and rhythmic use of language. There is a saying attributed to the last Prophet of God, Muhammad (pbuh), that goes like this: “Some poems are pure wisdom and some statements are pure magic.”
For a 40-year-old who has also gone through great lengths to achieve such feats of language, I should confess that it’s a formidable undertaking which I haven’t yet accomplished, yet sweet in essence. I have always admired those few people who effortlessly weave words of wisdom to create a memorable auditory-literary experience that soothes the heart and awakens the mind.
That thirst to meet such people in person was quenched on a rainy Monday evening when I was invited to attend a poetry gathering unlike any other. I was invited to the annual poetry event held at the residence of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Sayyid Ali Khamenei. Wow, what an honor! It was 3 in the afternoon on the 25th of March and I was hurriedly preparing to set off early to avoid getting stuck in the taunting traffic of Tehran. And yes, I arrived there in good time. Once there, you had to go through various layers of security to enter.The security apparatus were serious and strict but at the same time considerate, cooperative and kind. Guests are well respected here and I presume that’s because they have learnt such gracefulness from the Leader himself.
Alas, I made it into the general hall which was partitioned into different segments. What strikes you at first is the simplicity of such a place; there is no expensive handwoven carpet to sit on; the floor is all covered with simple cotton mats. Initially, at one end of the hall I saw long tablecloths being prepared. That’s because the meeting was held in the holy month of Ramadhan and we were close to the time of Iftar which is the time one breaks their fast. As I walked further, I entered another part of the hall where prayer mats were already laid in neat rows on the floor since we were approaching the evening prayers that would then allow us to break our fast. I sat in the third row alongside all the other poets waiting for the prayers to be held by the Leader himself. The first two rows were reserved for people of high caliber. Looking around, you could see poets both young and old greeting each other and cherishing the fact that they were invited here; their faces were filled with a sense of contentment; you could tell why they were so joyous. I too couldn’t hide my gratification. I started to jot down some notes in the quiet atmosphere when all of a sudden the moment we were all waiting for arrived.
The Leader entered the hall and the expected commotion began; all of us stood up in respect to greet the Leader who received us with his calm and welcoming demeanor which is reflective of Persian and Islamic hospitality. The phrase “Salam Agha” (which in English means hello my master) filled the air and the Leader responded in kind. For about 15 minutes, he sat opposite us receiving several poets who were selected to introduce their books to him. The call to prayer was then performed by a veteran reciter after which the Leader led the evening prayers in tranquility.
The prayers ended and we were then guided to the eating hall where we broke our fast with simple food unlike the lavish dining tables held elsewhere for this purpose. Once we finished our meal, we were then guided to the main hall upstairs where each and every poet sat on their own designated seat alongside the Leader in a circle where everyone could have a glimpse of his illuminated face.
At first, the soothing recitation of verses from the Holy Quran filled the atmosphere. In Iran, especially after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, it is a tradition to begin events and ceremonies with the recitation of the Quran. The poetry session officially began and was cohosted by two veteran poets, Morteza Amiri Esfandagheh and Alireza Ghazveh, who welcomed the guests and initiated the session by reading out some beautiful poetry. Seyyid Ali Mousavi Garmaroudi was the first veteran poet to recite his poem about the eighth Imam of Shia Muslims, Ali-ibn-Mousa Al-Ridha, better known as Imam Reza in Iran and who is buried in the holy city of Mashhad in northeast of Iran.
Politics, religion and social issues were the themes dominating this year’s poetry session which broke the record of previous years in that this year 40 poets recited their poetry in different genres and styles of poetry. The issue of Palestine and the genocide that was unfolding in Gaza at the hands of the Zionist regime of Israel was the main theme in the political poetry of Tayyebeh Abbasi, a female poet. Naser Feiz, who is famous for his satirical poetry, was another veteran poet who this time wrote a poetic political statement in which he despised the world for remaining silent on the issue of Gaza and that the only key to solving this 75-year-old stalemate was resistance as opposed to diplomacy. Another poet that caught the attention of the Leader and whose poem was praised for its choice of words was Ali Salimian, a young poet who wrote the following poem which was enriched with hopefulness for the future of Gaza and the fact that Palestine will soon be liberated from the clutches of Zionism:
O Satan! If God is the best of planners, you shall see that
Judas is the one who will be crucified while Jesus will continue to live!
The false invincibility of Zionism will be exposed and collapse
While the zeal of the Al-Aqsa Flood will continue to live!
They cannot fathom martyrdom, they are blind and cannot see
Palestine is dying every moment, but it will continue to live!
Satan will die with his dreams unfulfilled
While on the peaks of the mountains, it is "Inna Fatahna" (a Quranic verse) that will live on!
One thing that struck me the most while listening to all the different poems being recited was the Leader’s poetic savviness and sense of humor. At times, he would suggest better words for poems; he would even precisely predict a poem’s next verse before the poet uttered it. Never have I seen such wit and sagacity before. Truly amazing.
Once the final poem was recited, the Leader began his much-awaited speech by expressing his appreciation for the progress and development of poetry in the country. He said poetry is a medium that is far more powerful than guns and missiles; thus, poetry is a weapon in today’s media war.
The Leader’s emphasis on the importance of Iran’s poetic heritage caught my attention. He said Persian poetry is so rich in both form and content that it had even influenced great non-Iranian poets such as the renowned German polymath and writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the philosopher and writer Muhammad Iqbal from Pakistan.
The message of a poem was another essential point that the Leader stressed. He said subjects related to civilization, ethics, religion and resistance should form the axis of all poetry. He was quick to mention that the resistance of the Iranian nation and its outspoken stance against the Arrogant Powers of the world has been highly inspirational for other nations around the globe. This confirms my own experience abroad when people realize that I come from Iran and they speak so highly about Iran’s technological development and powerful position in world affairs despite the many years of brutal economic and political sanctions imposed on the country by the United States of America and its allies. Based on the Leader’s own words, one of the highlights of the Iranian nation is its brave resistance against all kinds of oppression and greed in the world and this can be vividly seen in its support for the oppressed nation of Palestine and its harsh stance against the epitomes of arrogance in the world i.e. the USA and the Zionist regime.
Pointing to the global reach of poetry, the Leader said poems need to be translated well by native translators in order for other nations to become familiar with Persian poetry and poets alike. This is where I was all ears and thought I could come in handy in this translation movement albeit difficult. Unfortunately, many great Iranian poets are lesser known to both the East and West.
As the session approached its end, everyone would ask the Leader to make a special prayer for them, or to give them his ring or keffiyeh, just like a child would ask their father for something. The intimate and warm atmosphere was something you’d never want to end. I could see firsthand how unattached he was to this world. Such humbleness and humility for a high-profile Leader like Sayyid Ali Khamenei was what I had expected; it was authentic and real but unfathomable at the same time. In one word, he was a poetic masterpiece in both form and content.
(The above is Hassan Tavakoli's personal account of his participation in Imam Khamenei's meeting with a number of poets and people of culture and literature. This meeting was held on March 25, 2024.)
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