Rashid Kakavand: Mojdeh Lavasani’s Poetry Is An Encouraging Sign For Me

According to a reporter from the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), the unveiling and book signing ceremony for Mojdeh Lavasani’s poetry collection, ‘Trees Don’t Run Away,’ took place on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (20 Aban 1404 in the Iranian calendar), at the Master Shahnaz Hall of the Iranian Artists’ Forum. The event was hosted by Shahab Darabian and attended by numerous personalities, including Rashid Kakavand, Hormoz Alipour, Sajjad Afsharian, Leila Kordbache, Alireza Bahrami, Esmaeil Amini, Alireza Badie, Omid Sabbaghno, Mohammad Sheykhi, Hadi Taghizadeh, Mehdi Yazdanikhorram, Mohammad Bahrani, Maryam Jalali, Pejman Bazeghi, Hooman Hajiabdollahi, Saeed Ghotbizadeh, Morteza Barzegar, Seyed Maziar Hashemi, Mohammad Solouki, Fariba Kosari, Elham Akhavan, Siavash Kheirabi, Sara Hatami, Sina Hejazi, Sogol Tahmasbi, Melika Zarei, Mohammad Nazari, Giti Khameneh, Ahmad Amir Khalili, Yasaman Khalififard, Mohammadreza Kheradmandan, and a gathering of literary figures and enthusiasts.

The ceremony, marked by a broad presence of artists and poetry aficionados, commenced with a video clip featuring Mojdeh Lavasani. Following this, Rashid Kakavand congratulated Mojdeh Lavasani on the publication of her poetry collection and said: ‘Poetry, fortunately, has once again found a broad public platform in our time. Last night, I read a few lines from ‘Another Birth’ by Forough Farrokhzad and was reminded of how she, as a woman, rose to prominence in Persian poetry.’

He added: ‘Before Forough, we had women poets, but she was the first to bring the concept of ‘being a lady’ to life in poetry. Forough Farrokhzad, without exaggeration, is one of the most influential cultural and social figures of our era. Many of our behaviors today, both among women and cultural figures, are indebted to her, even if we ourselves are unaware. From a poetic perspective, Forough’s special characteristic is the simplicity of language and the depth of meaning. Her poetry is a perfect example of ‘simple yet unattainable’; a simple and transparent language, yet rich in human and philosophical layers.’

This university lecturer, referring to Forough’s poetry, said: ‘Forough’s poetry opened a path for many contemporary poets. However, the simplicity of language sometimes led some astray; a group simplified the language but lost the depth. Whereas Forough had accompanied simplicity with thought.’

The poet and literary critic continued: ‘In recent decades, ghazal has once again flourished, perhaps due to social and historical reasons. There are many ghazal poets, and among them are talented ones. But it must be admitted that a portion of today’s ghazals, rather than being thoughtful, lean towards linguistic and momentary charms. In contrast, free verse, supported by Nima, Shamloo, and Forough, continues to penetrate the depths of the audience’s soul. Today, poets like Shams Langroudi or Garous Abdolmalekian have continued this path with simple yet thoughtful language.’

Kakavand emphasized: ‘In this same vein, Ms. Mojdeh Lavasani’s poetry is also an encouraging sign for me. Poems with fluent language, human feeling, and a well-considered structure; poems that can connect with people without losing literary authenticity.’

Kakavand concluded: ‘The important point about Ms. Lavasani is that, unlike many well-known figures from other fields, her entry into poetry is not performative. She has embarked on this path not to gain fame, but out of an inner need and love for literature. And this is highly valuable. Ms. Lavasani’s composed, honest, and religious character, devoid of pretense and show, is respectable and admirable to me. An authentic family, with religious and cultural roots, and a person whose success in other areas has not led her away from sincerity.’

I am glad that Mojdeh Lavasani writes poetry and is devoted to poetry, words, and vocabulary.

Continuing the ceremony, Sajjad Afsharian, a writer, poet, actor, and theater director, came to the podium to read a few poems from the collection. However, before reciting the poems, he said: ‘We come closer to a higher-quality version of ourselves when we can read, write, dance, sing, and do anything that even in our imagination makes the world more beautiful. In whatever profession we are, whether a carpenter, architect, or engineer, if there is no faith in our work, that work will not be done correctly. Faith is the hidden but vital element of any honest work. For this reason, I am happy that Mojdeh Lavasani writes poetry and is devoted to poetry, words, and vocabulary.’

Mojdeh Lavasani’s poems are not a performance; they are truly poetry.

After Sajjad Afsharian, Hormoz Alipour spoke about the poetry collection ‘Trees Don’t Run Away,’ stating: ‘As someone who has lived with poetry and has sixty years of experience as a poet and a concern for pure poetry, if I were to describe Ms. Lavasani’s poems in one sentence, I would say her poetry is the result of experience, intuition, and insight; meaning something beyond technical skill and poetic exercise.’

Hormoz Alipour emphasized: ‘Mojdeh Lavasani’s poems are truly poetry. The title of the book indicates that this book possesses a poetic soul. As a poetic traveler, I appreciate the poems in this book primarily for their emotion, feeling, suppressed sorrow, and their profound yet lived simplicities. From my perspective, the book is thought-provoking and readable.’

He added: ‘From the perspective of imagery and rhythm, this poetry is an excellent example of poeticalness in contemporary language. Such a collection could not have been published merely for show or to pad a resume. The poems in this book are ‘natural’; not constructed.’

Lavasani has reached maturity in this collection.

Leila Kordbache, another speaker at the ceremony, remarked regarding the collection: ‘The poet has reached maturity in this collection, and her language is much simpler, more human, and freer than in previous collections. If in earlier books the romantic themes had an innocent and girlish feel, here the romanticism has become deeper and more mature.’

She added: ‘One of the important points in the poems of this book is ‘conciseness.’ The poet conveys the most meaning with the fewest words. Furthermore, Ms. Lavasani is familiar with language and plays with words very gently and naturally, without needing to flaunt her abilities. This very simplicity and avoidance of ostentation have given authenticity to the poems. Many lines in the book have the potential to become aphorisms; phrases that remain in people’s minds and language.’

She further stated: ‘In the poems of this collection, Persian idioms and proverbs are also used, but so subtly and smoothly that there is no sense of artificial insertion whatsoever. Soon, I will write a more detailed article about this book, examining its structure, language, and themes more precisely. But in this brief opportunity, I must say that ‘Trees Don’t Run Away’ is a book that helps our contemporary literature reconnect with the general audience.’

Kordbache concluded her remarks by saying: ‘I sincerely congratulate Mojdeh Lavasani for creating such a work and wish her continued success. I am happy that poetry, in an era where everything is quickly forgotten, can still attract an audience and stir the soul.’

The presence of public figures is not a threat to literature and poetry.

Following the book signing event, Alireza Bahrami took the podium and said: ‘In the clip shown at the beginning of the program, I heard a sentence that was very interesting to me: ‘A girl whose entire capital today is poetry.’ I didn’t have precise information about the program’s details beforehand, but from the very beginning, I realized that today is a day of kindness and friendship; both in the overall atmosphere of the program and among those present.’

Bahrami said: ‘Today, we are talking about a book whose author is not only a poet but also a cultural and media personality. Someone who is visible, therefore has more responsibility. When a poet from the media or cinema enters the literary scene, it is natural that attention towards them is doubled. But in my opinion, this occurrence is not a threat; rather, it is an opportunity for people to reconcile with poetry and literature.’

He continued: ‘A poet, if sincere and diligent in their work, adds something to us with every piece. Our society – which has experienced war and crisis – needs emotional reconstruction. Today, more than ever, we must speak of love, speak of beauty, so that we can give hope to life. As Khayyam said, the eternal moment is that which a person can grasp amidst the repetition of sorrows.’

Bahrami emphasized: ‘In Ms. Mojdeh Lavasani’s three poetry collections, a process of growth and maturity is evident. In the previous two books, there was a kind of rebellion and expression of femininity in a more delicate form; in this third collection, this rebellion has become more mature, more sincere, and more conscious. If this path continues, undoubtedly in future works, we will encounter a deeper poetic voice.’

Bahrami pointed out: ‘The poems in this collection are all images that the poet has created from loneliness, fear, love, and hope. Her poetic language is pictorial and musical; sometimes bitter, sometimes romantic, but always honest.’

Judge the poetry, not the poet.

At the end of the ceremony, Mojdeh Lavasani expressed her gratitude for the presence of cultural and literary figures, stating: ‘I sincerely thank all of you for being here. Seeing so many familiar and dear faces—from poets, writers, theater and cinema artists, media and cultural activists—is a great honor for me. As Shamloo said: ‘Never has my heart been so warm and red.”

The poet continued: ‘Now I only have a few short thank-yous: First and foremost, I am deeply grateful to those who spoke tonight – Dr. Kakavand, Mr. Alipour, Mr. Bahrami. I have special appreciation for Mr. Garous Abdolmalekian, my kind mentor and guide, who meticulously and lovingly read each poem and offered his insights. If this book was published, it is the result of his patience and precision.’

Lavasani emphasized: ‘But I have a serious message, addressed to my poet and critic friends: I ask you to critique the poetry, not the poet. Not their name, not their profession, not their beliefs. Poetry is an independent entity and should be judged on its own merits. Let’s not judge before even a single line of the book is read. Read the poetry, and if it is weak, critique it mercilessly, but engage with the poetry itself, not with your mental image of the poet.’

At the conclusion of the ceremony, which also coincided with Mojdeh Lavasani’s birthday, a birthday celebration for the poet was held among her admirers, and she proceeded to sign copies of her poetry collection.