Lucky Men by Partaw Naderi
Featuring: Yama Yari, Sarah Maguire
This poem was written in Peshawar City in November, 2002 and translated by the poet, and founder of the PTC, Sarah Maguire and Yama Yari.
Partaw Naderi was born in 1953 in northern Afghanistan. He studied in Badakhshan before graduating from the Faculty of Sciences in 1976. During the Soviet-backed regime in the 1970s Naderi began writing poetry and a few years later he was imprisoned in the notorious Pul-e-Charki prison. Today he is seen as a highly original and important poet. He is a leading exponent of modernist poetry in Afghanistan. His poetry is celebrated for its lyrical intensity and use of free verse. He lived in exile for many years but has recently returned to Kabul and has taken on the role of president of Afghan PEN.
If you enjoy this podcast and would like to support the Poetry Translation Centre please visit poetrytranslation.org/support-us