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Quote by Simin Behbahani

“Literature rests on language. It is a linguistic art. So it cannot sever its relationship with the past. But it can create new methods and styles that differ in structure, form, and content from the past.”

Author

Simin Behbahani

Simin Behbahani (July 20, 1927 - August 19, 2014) was a renowned Iranian poet, translator, and human rights activist. Born in Tehran into an intellectual family, she began writing poetry at a young age and became famous for her innovative use of the traditional Persian ghazal form. She skillfully combined this classical poetic form with modern themes, addressing contemporary issues such as women's rights, social justice, and political freedom. Throughout her career, she published numerous poetry collections and received several literary awards. Beyond poetry, she contributed to Persian literature by translating English works into Persian. Behbahani was celebrated as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Persian literature, with her works translated into multiple languages. She passed away in Tehran on August 19, 2014, at the age of 87. more

“The fact that I'm a woman is as important to my work as a poet as the fact that Ahmad Shāmlu was a man was important to his work as a poet. Basically, gender shouldn't be viewed as an advantage in art. If a poem or a piece of writing is good, what difference does it make whether it's by a woman or a man? And, if it's bad, why should its writer's gender make it good?”

Men Writing Art Important Poet Gender

Author:Simin Behbahani

“I've stood in long lines, in the rain and under the sun, just to buy a pack of butter or a box of paper napkins. I've seen mothers running after the corpses of their martyred sons, oblivious to whether their headscarves or their chadors or their stockings and shoes were slipping off or not. I won't say any more. In the light of all this, how did you expect my poetry to be joyful or, as in my recent poem, to speak of love? Even so, more than half of my poetry is joyful and these are the products of the moments when I've felt happy.”

Long Moments Running Mother Speak Son Rain Poetry Is Joyful Oblivious

Author:Simin Behbahani

“We live in an age now where people go to the movies and, even the biggest movies are in the theaters six, eight weeks and then gone. And then for the rest of time now people are watching them on their phones, or computers, or TVs. And that's how the films gonna live.”

People Age Film Week Computer

Author:Bryan Bertino

“It is so hard to believe because it is so hard to obey.”

Believe Hard Faith Belief Hard To Believe

Author:Soren Kierkegaard