Poetry in Khuzestan is diverse and mutated.

Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) Provincial Service: Yousef Alipour, born in June 1977, holds degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business Management. He began writing as a teenager with personal notes, gradually shifting his pen towards modern poetry. During this period, he became acquainted with masters of free verse, and his intellectual outpourings became more professional. Alipour has achieved first place in the free poetry section of the first national student poetry festival ‘Aseman’, received honorable mention in the first national ‘Rashid Trees’ award in the free poetry section of the Art Center of Gilan Province, and honorable mention in the fourth ‘Entezar’ poetry festival in the free poetry section at Arak University. His books ‘Khabootar-e Khial’ (Pigeon of Imagination) and ‘Posht-e Kodam Abr Mandeh-i?’ (Behind Which Cloud Have You Remained?) have been published. The book ‘Posht-e Kodam Abr Mandeh-i?’ was published by Eritrean Publications in 2024 (1403 Solar Hijri) and was among the top 5 works in the book section of the second Sohrab Sepehri Literary Award. Alipour also won third place in the single poem section of the second national Sohrab Sepehri Award.

Considering that Khuzestan has been a pioneer in poetry and fiction in the country, and renowned poets from the province have been introduced to the nation in the past, what is the current stage and position of Khuzestan’s poetry?

Khuzestan province, owing to its unique geographical climate, the presence of various ethnic groups and diverse customs, and its historical background, possesses an authentic and deep-rooted culture. In the field of poetry and fiction, it is rich with artists, poets, storytellers, and renowned masters in the sphere of culture and art.

Renowned poets such as De’bel Khaza’i, Sekrani, Qeysar Aminpour, Hormoz Alipour, Soleiman Hormozi, Qasem Ahaninjan, Zeynab Rahmani, Zahra Shabani, Farzad Abadi, Seyed Ali Salehi, Hooshang Chalangi, Yar Mohammad Asadpour, and writers like Ahmad Mahmoud, Adnan Ghrifi, Fathollah Bi-Niaz, etc., are active under the supervision of the Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance in each city, given the existence of literary circles and associations held throughout Khuzestan province. In my opinion, this region is a land of poetry and fiction lovers, and it is progressing day by day in this field.

When and with whom did the wave of poetic modernism begin in Khuzestan province, and what ups and downs has it experienced over the years?

The Khuzestan poetry circle in the 1960s (Iranian calendar decade 40) became so influential, with prominent poets like Hooshang Chalangi, that later poetic movements in the capital could be considered indebted to it. The first ‘pure wave’ poets, including Aria Ariapour (Hamid Karimpoor), Seyed Ali Salehi, Yar Mohammad Asadpour, Hormoz Alipour, and Siroos Radmanesh, emerged from Masjed Soleiman and flourished in an environment that, although lacking the prosperity of its early years, carried the pioneering cultural and social heritage that the previous generation of that city had achieved under those conditions. Attention was drawn to this poetic form in the reflection of the Islamic Revolution and the war. And Khuzestan poets caused a transformation in Iranian poetry. Poets of the Sacred Defense era, such as Qeysar Aminpour, Mohammad Sheida-ye Dezfuli, Soleiman Hormozi, Bahman Saki, Hormoz Farhadi Babadi, etc., emerged, and we hope to continue their path.

In your opinion, what characteristics did the Sohrab Sepehri National Award have that made you participate?

Initially, the name of the renowned poet Sohrab Sepehri attracted me. Then, upon becoming acquainted with the hardworking staff and secretary of this congress, I concluded that the judges are very professional, educated, and thoughtful in evaluating the works, and for this reason, I was more encouraged to participate. I am very happy to have submitted work to this award because it allowed me to meet talented writers, poets, and masters, which is very commendable for me.

To what extent do events like the Sohrab Sepehri Literary Award play a role in promoting modern poetry in Iran?

Very much. / Why very much? Because we are new faces who write in this field, and the literary award introduces us and our work to the country’s literary community. It is a valuable point that the Sohrab Sepehri National Award highlights modern poetry itself more. Because it is felt that in some literary awards we participate in, due to the presence of classical and modern poems side-by-side, unfortunately, less attention is paid to modern poetry, even if these poems are strong and professional. This section that the Sohrab Sepehri National Award dedicated to modern poetry will have a very positive effect on the promotion and advancement of modern poetry in the future. Considering that the world of poetry is changing rapidly, to what extent has this change progressed in our province? This change has affected Iranian poetry as well as Khuzestan.

The new generation of poets in this region seeks new languages and more personal expressions; today’s Khuzestan poetry is often closer to social life, individuality, identity, and the tangible experiences of modern humans. It can be said that poetry in Khuzestan is not merely transformed, but diversified and mutated; because it springs from a history and ecosystem brimming with diversity and experience. Khuzestan, with the coexistence of various languages and cultures – Persian, Arabic, Luri, Bakhtiari, and Qashqai – provides a unique ground for linguistic and cultural poetic creation.