Sohrab Sepehri, poet and painter was born in 1928 in Kashan. After obtaining his high school diploma, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Honarha-ye Ziba (Fine Arts) Faculty of Tehran University.
In the first 12 years after his graduation, he worked in several government agencies while pursuing his personal interest in poetry and painting. During these years, he also traveled on numerous occasions to Europe and Africa.
In 1964, he completely resigned from his governmental position and began investing all his time and energy in composing verses and painting. He moved to and lived in USA for one year, and subsequently spent about two years in Paris. During this time, he painted numerous paintings using the same soft and gentle style, which can be found in his poems.
A very talented painter and a devoted poet, Sepehri was known as a modern mystic, always drawing into his works imagery and themes of eastern mysticism which are typically found in the poetry of his ancestors, Rumi and Hafez, rather than his contemporaries.
Sepehri was a translator of Japanese haikus, as well as a world traveler, creating and exhibiting his art in France, Brazil, India, Greece, and Egypt.
In 1979, Sepehri returned to Iran and was diagnosed with blood cancer and for the last time he moved to England for treatment.
A year later, in 1980, he passed away in Tehran. He was buried in his birthplace, Kashan.
Even his most prominent and enduring collection of poetry, "The Green Volume" and his famous and exquisite long poem "The Water's Footfall," have not received nearly as much international attention and acclaim as they deserve. His poetry reflects the poet's solitary nature and his profound, respectful relationship to nature itself.
Introductions by Homa Sarshar, ISG Officers and Abass Hojatpanah - Audio (13:05)
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