Iranian poet, educator and scholar, Dr Mohammed Forouzani is something of a rarity in the Sultanate, given his passion for his literary genre, which has seen him recently begin work on his third volume of poetry. Stimulated by the diversities of Persian food, Al Pacino’s films, Belgrade’s greenery, Nizwa’s stark lines and Qurum’s beauty and serenity, he is so loving of that passion he likens leaving his poetry, to sleep at nights to, “leaving my child behind.”
Where Forouzani is today, may only be a few hundred miles from his birthplace in his home country’s capital of Tehran, but academically, educationally, and literally, from there to here takes on a dynamic transformation. Traumatically for any child, Forouzani’s father died when he was only 6 years old, but he was fortunate to have a mother who recognized the value of a solid education. There was only one problem, from Forouzani’s perspective…….Mum saw Maths and sciences as the way forward, whereas for him, it was all about the words, and especially poetry.
Forouzani shared that, “From the very beginning I loved ‘words,’ but I didn’t want to upset my Mum, who wanted so much for me, so I would hide my readings, writings and poetry in, under, and between my maths books. However, when I ‘came out,’ so to speak, and revealed my passion for poetry, and philosophy, as they go hand in hand, it wasn’t really a big deal. After all, Mums love unconditionally, don’t they?”
He was even tutored for a time, and this enabled him to further his understanding of the perspective of romanticism, and to relate his early poetic imagery to the writings of Keats, Coleridge, Shelley, Elliot and Wordsworth, as do all poets. The ethereal and emotional qualities of that genre have led Forouzani in the direction however of extremely personal and individual writings, not seeking to bury messages or meanings within his words, but to make each word a bold, authoritative statement of its own. For example, in ‘Breathing,’ he writes:
Breathing is a simple gift till life decides to achievea deep ‘n timeless sleep
In which he seeks to mitigate the sadness, grief and hopelessness of death, just making it another part of one’s life, and there are no wasted words, just comfort.
Coming to Oman in 2014, initially, to teach the English Language in the Foundation Institute of the University of Nizwa, he applied to and was selected to teach linguistic and literature classes within the Department of Foreign Languages of the College of Arts and Sciences.
“I was seeking, when I came to Oman, new literary experiences, greater academic standing, and opportunities, within a country that has a unique reputation for nurturing the body and the soul, and I think my poetry has grown, matured if you like.”
Forouzani oozes enthusiasm, and his wife Elham explained that, “He seems to have this overwhelming need to get pen to paper sometimes, and though he may have left romanticism behind in his poetry, he is still the same charming gentleman who, well maybe never swept me off my feet, but made a distinct impression on me with his earnest nature.” For his part, the poet recalled a charming intellectual of impressive economy of words, “but when she does speak, we should listen,” he observed emphatically.
Lately Forouzani admits to “being more inspired by the ‘ghosts’ of literature, the Whitmans, and the Ginsbergs, though with an innate focus on the humanitarian perspective.” In ‘Rose-Stricken’ he offers a tribute to William Blake’s, ‘The Sick Rose,’ in which he questions which is the victim?:
O Worm, you were healthy
before you met the Rose—
the visible tempting beauty,
the nature’s lecherous force!
She lured your simple mind,
beckoned you inside,
destroyed your rude innocence
and then, there you died.
……… the themes of innocence, ruination, and human nature are clear, though there is uncertainty as to which, the worm or the rose, was the aggressor or the victim.
“I want, as all poets, to be heard,” said Forouzani.
“I’ll continue to march to the beat of my own drum, so to speak, in my quest to commune with the global elite, and trust that my passion and philosophies will take me there. With Elham beside me, my constant muse, maybe I can achieve my dreams. For certain, I know that Oman’s reputation as a safe, nurturing place of solace, is well earned, and sustains me daily.”
RAY PETERSEN
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