poems by Mahnaz Badihian (Oba)
From Zayandeh Rud to the Mississippi
A voice from a road between East and West
Mahnaz Badihian (Oba)
cover design by Shirin Sadeghi
About the Book
From Zayandeh Rud to the Mississippi is a voice from East and West – a voice so Romantic, Simple and Philosophical. Half of the poems were originally written in Persian and translated by the poet herself into English, the other half were originally written in English. Her work is the path that makes the poetry connection of these two cultures easier to navigate.
About the Author
Mahnaz Badihian (Oba), poet, writer, and dentist, grew up in Iran with the poetry of mystic poets such as Rumi, Hafez and Khayam and has lived in the United States for over 25 years enjoying the poetry of great poets such as Langston Hughes, Edgar Allan Poe, T.S. Eliot, Elizabeth Bishop and many contemporary poets and writers.
While living in Iowa for so many years she benefited from the literary atmosphere of Iowa City and the many workshop and classes of the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop. Oba believes that Marvin Bell, Iowa’s Poet Laureate, was of specific importance to her poetry. She started writing poetry and short stories at the age of fourteen.
She has published two volumes of poetry and one volume of poetry in translation. For over 10 years she has contributed to many literary magazines in the form of translations, poetry and short stories. She currently lives in San Francisco, dedicating all her time to Art and Literature. From Zayandeh Rud to the Mississippi is the first book from this poet in English.
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Freedom
Oh Freedom I got my holiness
From you.
When you are with us,
The ocean is graceful
And the mountains are
Soft hearted…
Yesterday
I saw you yesterday
In the street of tomorrow
In an unknown road
Wandering.
Amazingly, your hair
Has lost color
Your shoulders, are droopy.
And your skin has lost luster.
Oh!
Where was I all these years?
I have lost your youth, and
I forgot the color of your eyes.
I have not read your poems and
The years escaped.
Yesterday, I saw you on the road of memories,
You were saying something
Something which was the story of my childhood
A song I knew
I saw you
In the street of my childhood,
In an endless road
In a road of my old age.
Do we know what we lost?
Iguazu (Brazil summer 1998)
I am a little fall,
With all my dreams running madly along.
I want to be like you,
Iguazu fall,
Rich, full, alive.
United States