Training is essential for beginners in children’s poetry/For thematic poetry, one must be in the space of the work.

According to the correspondent of Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Gonbad-e Kavus, on Tuesday, November 18, a specialized session titled “Examining the Requirements of Children’s and Young Adult Poetry” was held for poets, mentors, and teachers with the presence of Mahmoud Poorwahab, a poet and writer in the field of children’s and young adult literature, on the occasion of the 33rd Iran Book Week in Gonbad-e Kavus.

Poorwahab, in this educational workshop, which will also be held tomorrow, Wednesday, November 19, on the same topic at the Gorgan center, said: For some, reading poetry is like therapy, and it can be referred to as a form of poetry therapy.

He considered poetry to have various aspects and, referring to the views of different poets, emphasized the importance of a deep and multilayered perspective on children’s poetry.

In response to a question about whether becoming a poet is innate, Poorwahab explained: Some believe that talent and nature are the most important factors, but the reality is that continuous effort alongside nurturing talent can lead to the creation of lasting poems.

He emphasized the necessity of learning for novice poets, adding: Training is essential for beginners on this path, and completing specialized courses helps their literary growth.

The poet, in another part of his speech, said: To write poetry on any subject, we must place ourselves within the context of the work to be able to understand and narrate it correctly.

He also commented on the audience’s perception of poetry: Poetry is a multiplicity of meanings; the reader may have a different and personal interpretation of the text, and this is one of the beauties of poetry.

Poorwahab explained that children’s poetry is a more complex field than young adult and adult poetry, stating: Most children’s poems are composed in the form of four stanzas; a form that has a systematic structure and is very suitable for narration. This order and structure make composing children’s poetry more difficult than other genres.

At the end of the session, he shared a memory, saying: Sometimes poetry acts like a painkiller and a tranquilizer; for some people, poetry is a source of peace.

At the end of this session, a question-and-answer section was held, and the attending poets and mentors raised their questions regarding children’s and young adult poetry.