Siayavush Kasraie

Siyavush Kasra’i (1926-1995), son of Rahim. A contemporary political activist and poet with nom de plume Kawli (‘gypsy’). Born in Isfahan, he made poetical compositions in his youth. His magnum opus is Arash-i Kamangir (‘Arash, the Archer’). A loyal student of Nima, he was also active as a member of the Tudeh Party for years, thereby intertwining poetry and political activities, hence his recognition by some people as a popular poet. He went to Tehran with his family and studied at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran. It was because of his political activities that Kasra’i had to emigrate from Iran and spent his last 12 years in Kabul and Moscow, and Austria. He died of pneumonia and heart failure in Vienna in 1995 at the age of 69 and was buried at the Central Cemetery in Vienna (Artists’ Lot). His poetry is particularly marked by Arash-i Kamangir, as a social epic, and Ghazal bara-yi Darakht(‘Ghazal to a Tree) in terms of style and content. His works include: Ava(1957); Arash-i Kamangir (with an introduction by M.A. Bihazin, 1959); Khun-i Siyavush (with Arash-i Kamangir with an introduction by H.A.Sayih, 1962); Sang u Shabnam (twin couplets, quatrains, and lyrics, 1966); Ba Damavand-i Khamush (1966); Khanigi (1967); Bih Surkhi-yi Atash, bih Ta’m-i Dud (with nom de plume Shaban Buzurg Umid, with an introduction by Ihsan Tabari, Sweden, 1977); Az Quruq ta Khuruskhan (1978); Amrika! Amrika! (with an introduction by Ihsan Tabari, 1979); Chihil Kilid (selected poetry, with an introduction by Ihsan Tabari, 1980); Tarashih-ha-yi Tabar (selected and introduced by ‘Abdullah Sipandgar, Kabul, 1982); Piyvand (Kabul, 1984); Hidyih bara-yi Khak (London, 1984); Sitarihgan-i Sipidihdam (London, 1989); Muhrih-yi Surkh (Vienna, 1995); Az Khun-i Siyavush(selections of 13 poetical works, 1999); Hava-yi Aftab (his last poetical compositions, 2002); Dar Hava-yi Murgh-i Amin (critiques, articles, fiction, 2002).

Farhang-i Sha’iran-i Zaban-i Parsi az Aghaz ta Imruz (1, 484-485).