Husayn Munzavi

Munzawi, Husayn (1946-2004). He was born and raised in Zanjan. His mother was a learned litterateur and his father was a poet. Having received his primary and secondary education successfully in his hometown, he furthered his studies at the Faculty of Letters, University of Tehran. Although he mainly composed ghazals, but he also wrote blanc verse. He may be regarded as one of the most distinguished contemporary ghazal poets who in addition to keeping the traditional structure of ghazal created elegant innovations in the Persian vocabulary. The themes of his poetry are mainly lyrical, though it is not devoid of the treatment of social issues. He died of cancer, pulmonary embolism, and cardiac arrest in Tehran and was laid to rest by his father in Zanjan. His first collection of poetry appeared in 1971 and won him the title of the best young poet at the Furugh Poetry Competitions. Then, he collaborated with Nadir Nadirpur at Modern Literature Department of the Iranian National Radio and Television. He was the director of the poetry columns of the Rudaki literary journal for a while. He also made contributions to the first volume of the Surush journal. He returned to his hometown in his last years where he settled till the end of his life. He is remembered as the father of modern ghazal of Iran. His works include: ‘Ishq dar Hawali-yi  Faji’a; Az Tirma wa Taghazzul (a collection of free verses and ghazals composed between 196-1970); Hanjara-yi Zakhmi-yi Taghazzul; Az Kahruba wa Kafur; In Turk-i Parsiguy (an analytical study of Shahriyar’s poetry); Ba ‘Ishq dar Hawali-yi Faji’a (a collection of his ghazals composed between 1988 and 1993; Bih Hamin Sadigi (a collection of blanc verse); Az Shawkaran wa Shikar (a collection of his ghazals composed between 1970 and 1988; Ba ‘Ishq Tab Mi’awaram (a collection of blanc verse and free verse compositions composed between 1970 and 1993); Ba Siyawash az Atash; Az Khamushiha wa Faramushi; Hiydar Baba (a verse translation of Shahriyar’s Hiydar Babaya on the model of Nima Yushij’s style); In Kaghazin Jama (a collection of selected classical poetry). His poetry is marked by the prevalence of the pure hue of love and its intransience reflecting the purity of his heart in different forms. His erudition in poetry and his unrivalled poetical talent as well as his employment of the rich literary heritage of his predecessors enabled him to establish harmony between the traditional and modern idiom and create compositions of distinction. His acquaintance with music and its inward and outward influences on poetry aiming at further musicality of the poetic diction and creation of appealing rhythms which constitute his significant poetical characteristics. His mastery of mythology, legends, and beliefs have imbued his poetry with folkloric themes. His unique, innovative, and astounding use of rhyme for the musicality of his diction and his emphasis on forsaking affected radifs have led to the appeal of his poetry. His poetry is also marked by emphasis on the independence of the ghazal as a poetical unit and characterization of this poetical form. He allowed each ghazal to have a particular atmosphere consisting of the organic of elements and imagery. His poetry is further characterized by his belief in not restricting this form to the number of couplets or repetition of rhymes. Munzawi accorded significance to the understanding of the necessity of Nima’s innovations and acknowledgement and employment of his poetical achievements. His clever use of lyrical diction, horizontal and vertical dynamicity of poetry, poetical use of the rhetorical tone in the majority of his poetry, the guided movement, even in composing lyrics (taranas) alongside his modern view of poetical issues and the reality of indubitable impact of his poetry on the modern generation have turned him into one of the most significant contemporary ghazal poets.

Sukhanwaran-i Nami-yi Mu’asir (5/ 3388-3394).

سخنوران نامی معاصر (۵/۳۳۸۸- ۳۳۹۴).