Part One – Farewell to Respected People: Reflection on Shukrieh Erfani's Poem 'Three Decades'

Hasht-e Subh has published the first part of an essay titled 'Farewell to Respected People: A Reflection on Shukrieh Erfani's Poem "Three Decades"'. The piece opens with a quote from Charles Baudelaire's letter to his mother, stating that he has bid farewell to the world of 'respected people' in pursuit of his own tastes and principles.

The essay addresses the question of why poetry matters in the contemporary era, when everything seems explicit and prose might suffice for social realities. It argues against dismissing poetry as merely aesthetic or emotional, asserting that even its emotional function is profound. Referencing John Lisacur's book 'You Must Change Your Life: Poetry, Philosophy, and the Birth of Sense', the author contends that poetry prevents emotions from becoming clichéd and represents a mode of being in the world.

Hossein Asfandiar and Ali Fallah Rafi in their article 'Poetry and Poetic Thinking in Heidegger and Ibn Arabi' are cited to explain that poetic thinking, in Heidegger and Ibn Arabi's frameworks, reveals truth beyond metaphysical concepts. Heidegger views poetry as a response to the call of being, enabling the disclosure of being and beings.

Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor, in his 2024 book 'Cosmic Ties: Poetry in the Age of Disenchantment' at age 92, portrays poetry not as linguistic play but as an opening to meaning through rhythm and meter, creating a resonance that tunes humans to lived experience before conceptualization. Examples from Persian literature, such as Rumi's verses where love transcends books and words, illustrate a cosmic connection and escape from instrumental reason.

The essay contrasts poetry with prose, noting that early human records were poetic, and Persian works like the Shahnameh and Masnavi served historical and epistemological roles. It positions poetry as vital in an age of disconnection, fostering deeper ties to the cosmos.