Remembering Siavash Kasrai (Feb 25, 1927 – Feb 8, 1996)

February marks the anniversary of Siavash Kasrai’s birth and passing. Born in Isfahan, Iran, Kasrai was a prominent poet who graduated from the Faculty of Law at Tehran University. He published his first collection of poetry in 1957, beginning a literary career that would later earn him recognition for his political and socially charged works.  His second book, Arash the Archer (1959), solidified his reputation, especially with the release of his long epic poem Arash the Archer (Arash-e Kamangir), which gained him immediate recognition among Iranian intellectuals and brought him widespread fame. Kasrai’s poetry was often political and carried a strong social message, focusing on the struggles of ordinary people against repression and dictatorship in Iran. His works brought him into conflict with the regime of the former Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Kasrai’s poems were inventive and progressive, reflecting his commitment to championing the lives of those who faced political and social oppression. Kasrai’s style and thematic focus have led to comparisons with Western figures such as Bertolt Brecht of Germany and Dennis Brutus of South Africa. Like the works of these poets, Kasrai’s poetry was often identified as communicative art, advocating social change and the betterment of society. His writing was deeply committed to a cause, using poetry as a tool for political and social engagement.

Arash the Archer is a work of unparalleled creative genius of modern Persian poetry, which was woven into the remaking of the story of the legendary Persian hero, Arash the Archer, originally described by Ferdowsi in the Shahnameh (The Book of Kings) in the 10^th century pre-Islamic Iran. Shahnameh is a literary masterpiece and cultural tapestry that remains to be one of the highest pillars of the contemporary Persian language and culture. The book of Arash the Archer by Kasrai is the voice of heroism in the face of defeat in an ominous time. However, it remained forever memorable with an unshaken endurance among the Iranians after its original publication nearly five decades ago. Arash is a legendary hero that saves his country from humiliation and defeat by putting his soul into an arrow, which travels over a long distance and ultimately determines the border between ancient Persia and Turan (tribes who were possibly living in modern central Asia and were in a constant fight with Persians) and gained back the lost territory. The Scarlet Stone (Mohreh-ye sorkh)[i] is Kasrai’s last publication. Although Arash the Archer and Scarlet Stone are stylistically similar (both are epic poems in modern poetic style), their messages are deeply dissimilar, which reflects Kasrai’s personal socio-political life experiences that witnessed the upending of the Shah’s regime in 1979 and the political events that followed after. Arash the Archer is the primary protagonist of the story that symbolizes sacrifice, and salvation, which ends the humiliation and despair of his people, whereas the scarlet stone is a tale of loss, regret, blunder, rage, and yet a plea for understanding and reconciliation. Although in the Arash the Archer and The Scarlet Stone Kasrai is echoing the past, he argues for the present.

Sohrab is the love child of Rostam, a legendary Persian hero and one of the major characters of Shahnameh, and the main protagonist of the scarlet stone. The tale of the scarlet stone starts with the romance of Rostam with Tahmineh. The meeting of Rostam with Tahmineh begins in the city of Samangan (currently, a province in northern Afghanistan, which was part of Turan), when Rostam in search of his lost horse, Rakhsh, enters Samangan. When he arrives, the king of Samangan greets Rostam and offers him to stay for a night in his palace. That night, Tahmineh comes to Rostam’s bedside and declares her love for him. Tahmineh believed that her union with Rostam would end the conflict between the two nations (Turan and Iran) and bring peace. Later that night, Rostam gives her a jewel from the band around his arm as originally told by Ferdowsi in the Shahnameh:

After that night and finding his stallion, Rostam returns to Iran. After nine months, Tahmineh gives birth to Sohrab. Years later, in a battle between Iran and Turan, after a bitter fight, Rostam tragically and unknowingly kills Sohrab. However, when he discovers the jewel (the scarlet stone) on Sohrab’s arm, Rostam realizes that he has just killed his own son. Arash the Archer’s action and his victory in war was an ironic victory (i.e., was aimed at peace) that satisfied both sides and ended the war, whereas, in the scarlet stone story, Rostam’s victory was a Pyrrhic victory that resulted in him killing his own son, Sohrab. However, Kasrai is more interested in exploring the shortcomings of Sohrab, a new aspiring hero that brought this tragedy on himself rather than the Pyrrhic victory of Rostam. Sohrab is a proud and self-righteous hero and was ostentatious about it. Kasrai remarks:

Arash the Archer is the fruit of my youthful years, and the scarlet stone the legacy of my old age. If there are any similarities between them, it is just in style. However, each poem speaks about the events of their times that attempt to find an answer for the dashed hopes and disappointments. Although Arash and Sohrab are from the same bloodline, each bears different responsibilities. Arash jumps from the dam of death; he saves his life and the life of countless others. He is confident about his action and does not seek anything else. However, Sohrab is a young benevolent newcomer that has made an error and followed the wrong path. Armed with a sword, Sohrab is seeking justice but is unconvinced and fearful of the result of his action. At night, Sohrab sleeps with a smile and wakes up in the morning with fear and panic. Arash is thankful for his life and dies by his choosing. However, Sohrab is a spectator, fascinated with the seductive and glamor of life. He is naïve and brought misfortune to himself. In real life, people like Arash are few, but there are many like Sohrab.

In the prelude verses of ‘Arash the Archer’, Kasrai champions the responsibility of humankind toward others. As if he anticipates the arrival of a new hero, like Arash the Archer, to save his country: Not from the foreign invasion, but the dictatorship of the Shah regime. ‘Arash the Archer’ is filled with literary and political symbolism that also concealed the true messages advocated by the poet. He dedicated the ‘Arash the Archer’ to Khosro Roozbeh, a revered leftist activist and writer, who was executed by the Shah regime in early 1958. After his death, Khosro Roozbeh became the symbol of uncompromising resistance and opposition to the Shah regime.

The tale of the scarlet stone largely reflects the toll of the political development in Iran; his subsequent self-exile took on Kasrai’s feelings, emotions, and more importantly his rearview mirror of the events that took place in Iran since then. In essence, the scarlet stone is an open letter of repudiation of the political ideology of the poet, in particular, and the political movement as a whole. The scarlet stone perhaps is more precisely a philosophical recognition of the failure, about the individuals who were wrong, took a wrong path, and the unfolded political events that followed the aftermath of the Iranian revolution in 1979. The scarlet stone is a fresh reinterpretation of this iconic Persian epic poem in the modern style of Persian poetry. In this book, Kasrai, through his unique lyrical and sharp investigative poetic style, interrogates the history, the people, and confronts the intellectual and political blunders. In re-creating the story of the scarlet stone, Kasrai brings Ferdowsi (referred to as Hakeem) to face Sohrab and listen to his grief (Hakeem is the creator of the hero, Sohrab). Here is Sohrab’s conversation with Hakeem:

Hakeem initially struggles to respond to Sohrab’s grief and complaints. He pauses and pleads for a time before responding to Sohrab. He tells Sohrab, “You were unprepared, unaware, and prideful, a young newcomer.” Then, “instead of railing at me or the enemy,” he reminds Sohrab, “you bear responsibility for this sad tragic incident.” Here is how the Hakeem responds to Sohrab:

In the scarlet stone, Kasrai shows the pungency of his mind in addressing the question of blind sacrifice in haste without full awareness (a rhetorical reference to individuals who fought for freedom after the Iranian revolution and lost their life). Although the tragedy of the death of Sohrab was not entirely in vain or wasted, it was avoidable. The tale of the scarlet stone is a brilliant manifesto for when our actions are not guided by responsibility and knowledge, which leads to tragedy and suffering. Even to the readers in Western societies, the tragedy of Sohrab’s death is a powerful reminder that when our military and soft power apparatus are recklessly deployed against other nations, this often results in more plights and unintended consequences for others and us. However, despite the tragedy and death of Sohrab, Kasrai remains hopeful for a better world beyond the horizon.

[i] Mohreh in Farsi can mean a stone, or an armband (a bracelet worn high on the arm, rather than on the wrist). In ancient Persia, the great heroes used to wear armbands that signified their loyalty, and stature, which dates back to the Archimedean dynasty. In Shahnameh, Rostam was referred to as “Jahan Pahlavan” a brave and world-class hero, a title of honor granted by the King. Even in today’s modern Iran, the most celebrated and world-class wrestlers wear an armband that signifies their world-class status. In addition, Mohreh in Farsi can mean an agent or a member (e.g., a government agent).

Nader Rahimi is a Professor at Boston University, and his debut poetry collection, Songs of Being, was published in 2021. In addition, he translated The Scarlet Stone and other selected poems by Persian poet Siavash Kasrai, which is published in 2024.