Echoes in Exile is a rich collection of poetry describing Iran and Middle Eastern politics. The poems are intimate, painted in a form that makes the unthinkable familiar. Sheema Kalbasi is the first poet of Middle Eastern heritage who demonstrates her concerns for the mistreatments of religious and ethnic minorities. She humanizes the Iranian people to the international community. This book can be viewed as a memoir and be displayed alongside Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran or Marjan Satrapi's Persepolis. Sheema believes that in light of the current political situation between Iran and the United States her words bring an important message to be shared by both cultures. Her work as a poet and translator confirm that the beauty and strength to convey the vast spectrum of emotions through language are exclusive to no country or culture.
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Editorial Reviews
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Kalbasi's poetry is generous and abundantly human, passionate and compassionate. --Jimmy Santiago Baca, author, September ,2006
Many are the feelings and sensations echoing nearly overflowing from this moving collection. Like the intimate bond the author herself describes as connecting the world of dreams and the world of reality, her verses run on the thin edge between a subtle series of opposites. Resignation and hope, sorrow and joy, loneliness and communion, loss and conquest, desire and aversion, war and peace: all these confront each other, repel each other but never separate completely, yet interlace weaving the arduous story of the poet. By using words now sweet but stern, now sharp but responsive however always in a straight diction, without frills Sheema Kalbasi retraces her past, the hard trip of a young girl who fled from her tormented home country, that modern Iran she still likes to call the Ancient Persia, to search for a new home, a new life, her freedom. So Mighty Are the Stories ... but likewise she can look at the present and the future with neat realism, as well as with intact wonder, so that her Mel lowly-poetical voice streams with messages not only of despondency and denunciation, but also of courage and anticipation. These Echoes In Exile then turn into the author s chant of liberation, revealing her self-sustaining force before the hatred and the division ubiquitous in the world and afflicting above all her beloved Middle East. From line to line the refugee, the nobody she used to name herself at the time of her flight, they all show up in their vigor and radiance, disclosing to us the true identity of the poet and her discreet, unique sensuality not screamed out, just whispered. So a clear-cut figure and a transparent character finally come to light simply those of a woman deeply able and willing to love. ALESSIO ZANELLI --Alessio Zanelli
Winner 2008 National Indie Excellence award in category of social change. --National Indie Excellence Award
Many are the feelings and sensations echoing nearly overflowing from this moving collection. Like the intimate bond the author herself describes as connecting the world of dreams and the world of reality, her verses run on the thin edge between a subtle series of opposites. Resignation and hope, sorrow and joy, loneliness and communion, loss and conquest, desire and aversion, war and peace: all these confront each other, repel each other but never separate completely, yet interlace weaving the arduous story of the poet. By using words now sweet but stern, now sharp but responsive however always in a straight diction, without frills Sheema Kalbasi retraces her past, the hard trip of a young girl who fled from her tormented home country, that modern Iran she still likes to call the Ancient Persia, to search for a new home, a new life, her freedom. So Mighty Are the Stories ... but likewise she can look at the present and the future with neat realism, as well as with intact wonder, so that her Mel lowly-poetical voice streams with messages not only of despondency and denunciation, but also of courage and anticipation. These Echoes In Exile then turn into the author s chant of liberation, revealing her self-sustaining force before the hatred and the division ubiquitous in the world and afflicting above all her beloved Middle East. From line to line the refugee, the nobody she used to name herself at the time of her flight, they all show up in their vigor and radiance, disclosing to us the true identity of the poet and her discreet, unique sensuality not screamed out, just whispered. So a clear-cut figure and a transparent character finally come to light simply those of a woman deeply able and willing to love. ALESSIO ZANELLI --Alessio Zanelli
Winner 2008 National Indie Excellence award in category of social change. --National Indie Excellence Award
About the Author
An important and honest voice from the Middle East, Sheema Kalbasi is a human right activist, an award winning poet, and literary translator. She is the director of Dialogue of Nations through Poetry in Translation, director of Poetry of Iranian Women Project, the poetry editor of Muse Apprentice Guild and the co-director of the Other Voices International project. She has authored two collections of poems. One is titled Echoes in Exile in English, and the second is called Sangsar (stoning) in Persian. Kalbasi's work has appeared in numerous magazines, literary reviews, anthologies, and has been translated into several languages. She is one of the few literary figures to promote poets of Iranian heritage as well as international poets into an English speaking audience. Furthermore she has created the horizontal and vertical, a new style in poetry. A frequent and outspoken person, Kalbasi's work is distinguished by her passionate defense of the ethnic and religious minorities' rights. She has worked for the United Nations and the Center for non Afghan Refugees in Pakistan, and in Denmark. Today she lives with her husband and daughter in the United States.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A valuable gift to the world of poetry,
By
This review is from: Echoes in Exile (Paperback)
Sheema Kalbasi's "Echoes in Exile" is a valuable gift to the world of poetry. Reading her poems is like taking a plunge into a pool of warm and undeniable emotions. In between words one can feel the longing for a far away home, a haunting past and reconciliatory words of hope. She tells stories not only WITH poetry, but also TO poetry. Her symbiotic relation with words visualizes a new dimension in an unknown new style and genre. A definite pleasant and interesting read. - Tina Ehrami
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Supernatural Ex,
By The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Echoes in Exile (Paperback)
Sheema Kalbasi, noted Iranian-born poet and human rights activist, presents ECHOES IN EXILE. A collection of poems which addresses topics on God, country, womanhood, humanity, and the world. The book is divided into two sections: The Warrior and Silent Sensuality.
My favorite poem was "Mama In the War." With its carefully chosen words, it brought rich and heartbreaking images to mind. I interpreted it to be about a mother shielding her children from the wickedness and perils of war and intolerance. I also liked the bold irony of "Shame Free," a testament of longing for an existence other than what is real. Sheema Kalbasi has written an entrenching, thought-provoking book of poetry. Many of the works gave me a pause...ponder...pause feeling, and I found myself re-reading several of them multiple times. ECHOES IN EXILE is a worthy collection for poetry fans who like to read between the lines. Reviewed by CandaceK of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
5.0 out of 5 stars
A set of wonderful and compassionate poems,
By
This review is from: Echoes in Exile (Paperback)
Sheema is a true human rights activist and a great poet with a compassionate soul. Knowing her personally allows me to appreciate her work more than usual and respect her views better than ever. This book, consisting of short modern poems, is a great treasure and a wonderful piece for all of us. The Iranian-American community and particularly the Iranians in exile should be grateful for the valuable works that Sheema has done in years. I love this book. I hope these works of her can reach young people and women inside of Iran. They deserve to know about this.
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