Q&A with Mojdeh Bahar

  

Mojdeh Bahar

 

 

 

Mojdeh Bahar is the editor and translator of the new book The Dusk of Exile: Poems of Longing and Light. It focuses on the poems of Jila Mossaed, who was born in Iran and now lives in Sweden. Bahar's other books include Song of the Ground Jay. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area. 

 

Q: Why did you decide to translate the poems of Jila Mossaed?

 

A: My fascination with women's literary contributions has spanned many years, particularly in the context of shaping literary history. Recently, I've focused on translating contemporary Persian women poets, starting with the anthology Song of the Ground Jay, featuring 52 poets, and its expanded edition with 104.

 

I then explored the works of poets who resonated with me, and whose contributions go beyond their poetic works, culminating in my latest translation, Silence and Lost Words, which showcases Rouhangiz Karachi’s poetry, whose body of work on Iranian women poets and their enduring literary impact is remarkable.

 

I now present The Dusk of Exile: Poems of Longing and Light, a collection by Jila Mossaed, an award-winning poet in both Persian and Swedish, as well as a novelist and member of the Swedish Academy.

 

Mossaed began writing poetry in Persian in her teens but shifted to Swedish after emigrating to Sweden, where she has published several collections. As a language enthusiast, I admire her remarkable ability to write in both her native Persian and her adopted Swedish.

 

Q: How did you choose the poems to include in the collection?

 

A: Jila Mossaed has 11 collections of poetry in Persian and seven in Swedish. I went through the Persian collections and chose the ones that resonated with me. Selecting poems was not an easy task as I love so many of them.

 

I translated and then selected the poems to eliminate repetition. In The Dusk of Exile: Poems of Longing and Light, more than any of my other translations, I have taken more creative risks in reordering certain lines for a more natural flow in English.

Q: For those who are not familiar with Jila Mossaed’s work, what are some of the prominent themes?

 

A: Themes of exile, longing, home, life and death are most prominent in her poetry. 

 

Jila Mossaed

Q: What do you hope readers take away from this collection?

 

A: First and foremost I hope to introduce Jila Mossaed, the woman and the poet, to English-speaking audiences. Although her poetry has been translated into many languages, very few poems are available in English. 

 

Additionally, I hope that the book will challenge the media’s portrayal of Iranian women.

 

Lastly, since Mossaed became a member of the Swedish Academy in 2018,  her career trajectory can inspire immigrants and those learning a second language, demonstrating that anything is possible. 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I am thoroughly enjoying the time between finishing this project and honing in on the next. It is play time, a time to explore new poets and delve deeper into those I may already know. I am also dedicating some time promoting this book as well as my other translations.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I have a new website that I hope your readers will visit Mojdeh-bahar.com and for those in the Washington Metro area I will be doing a reading and book signing on March 28 at 2 p.m. at Kensington Row Bookshop.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Mojdeh Bahar.