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Muddy Shoes

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"Why do I speak in poetry? Because in this heavy mist, I cannot be a lighthouse For drifting boats."

This is a poem by Majid Naficy from his first book published in English. Muddy Shoes is a solid handsome book published by Beyond Baroque. Majid Naficy is an Iranian poet in exile living in Los Angeles since 1984. The book contains poems previously published in Farsi translated by folks who did not speak Farsi but who worked closely with Majid in order to represent work that rings of Hafez, Rumi, and Lorca. Muddy Shoes is not a poem but a metaphor which asks "... From which memory/ Do you take on this scent?" Muddy Shoes belongs to the exiled, to the executed; to all who have arrived here and who do not wear the iron heel. Naficy relates his experiences in Iran, his experiences in exile, his family, friends, and son with passion and flavor; with sadness and dignity. With these translations he asks that you put your muddy shoes beside his at the door and he invites you into his house. Despite adequate reason Majid's house is not filled with hate or cynicism instead he has made rose water from his tears and shares his duende. He has a romantic spirit and a spirituality that does not romanticize God. "If I knew life was so red/ Would I not hide myself in your womb?" he ends the poem "To My Mother". "Look at the path from which you've come./ Do you recognize those footprints?" Majid was involved in the '79 revolution in Iran. His wife and brother were executed. When I spoke to him of the recent murders of Iranian writers by death squads, tears came to eyes but not an angry word though they were his friends. But his poems are not political dogma. They are political only because of their humanity and they are beautiful because of their compassion. Muddy shoes off to Fred Dewey for recognizing the need for this book and this poet. Please check it out and re welcome yourself to Los Angeles.