Hearing Hafez

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A father-son collaboration bringing the beauty and wisdom of Hafez’s poetry to English.

Kia Aliakbar & Yadi Aliakbar


    • Aug 30, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 42m AVG DURATION
    • 33 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Hearing Hafez

    Ep. 32 - Empty-Handed

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 42:56


    We took so long between episodes that we ended up recording this with iPads! But we have a very special subject, because in this poem, Hafez talks to a wine-vendor! And in doing so, cuts straight to the heart of his philosophy on life, which is itself a reflection of one of the most enduring realities of Iran's existence.

    Ep. 31 - Another World

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2024 69:09


    The most grand and quintessential Hafez poem we've read.

    Ep. 30 - Daughter of Grape

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2024 52:02


    Happy Norooz 1403!!! This one is dedicated to our friend Jamshid.

    Ep. 29 - My Clothes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2024 61:07


    Swamps, nightingales, and mythical kings. Even in exile, Hafez is ready to serve up some wicked bars. (Recorded during an atmospheric river)

    Ep. 28 - Stone-hearted

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2024 60:13


    I know we're publishing this very late but Happy New Year! Happy Yalda! Happy Holidays! And happy 3-year anniversary of Hearing Hafez!

    Ep. 27 - The Lonely Zealot

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 52:16


    Happy Thanksgiving! This was a tough one to decode, but that's what we would expect for a poem that explains the evolution of Hafez's philosophy in life.

    Ep. 26 - Broken

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2023 34:47


    What did the red flower say to the purple flower?

    Ep. 25 - Sayeh

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2023 57:16


    Yadi and I are casual fans of Hafez, but in this episode we discuss one of the eminent Hafez scholars of the 20th and 21st century, Houshang Ebtehaj. Better known by his pen name “Sayeh”.

    Ep. 24 - Rudaki

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2023 62:35


    In this episode, Yadi and I take a detour from Hafez to talk about one of his predecessors and influences, the legendary poet Rudaki. Plus, hang around until the end of the episode for a treat.

    Ep. 23 - Black Eyes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2023 45:57


    In this poem, Hafez reconciles with the loss of a loved one and offers perspective on the things we can't always change, such as ourselves.

    Ep. 22 - Curled Bangs

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2022 44:30


    Happy (Late) Yalda! In this episode, Hafez talks to us about how it feels to outlast the night and the love that awaits on the other side. Plus (a podcast first) Yadi finally reads us one of his own poems!

    Ep. 21 - I Don't Tell You to Release Me From the Cage

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2022 44:34


    زن، زندگی، ازادی

    Ep. 20 - Bride of the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2022 54:06


    Happy Father's Day! Coming to you from the picnic table in Kia's Corner, Hafez has us discuss the physics and philosophy of what it means to “get close”.

    Ep. 19 - Beheaded

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2022 43:01


    Ever lose your head over someone?

    Ep. 18 - Good News

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2022 36:36


    Happy Norooz! Today we read a random poem by Hafez and, in typical Norooz tradition, divine a good omen for the new year.

    SPECIAL EPISODE: Omar Khayyam

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2022 52:58


    We take a quick break from Hafez to sneak a peek into the perplexing perspectives and existential wisdom of Omar Khayyam's rubaiyats.

    Ep. 16 - Wake Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2022 71:29


    Recorded on Zoom

    Ep. 15 - When the Time Comes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2021 57:53


    Happy Yalda! Thanks to all of our listeners for following along with us. We made it to our one-year anniversary!

    Ep. 14 - Venus's Song

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2021 32:57


    Hafez gets the “mean girls” treatment and Jesus busts a move. Tune in to learn more.

    Ep. 13 - The Trail to You

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2021 38:32


    Hafez doles out some absolutely effusive lines for a special someone.

    Ep. 12 - Freedom's Feet

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2021 42:19


    Fixed some bugs. And yeah, we're pretty sure Hafez was in love with Shah Shoja.

    Ep. 11 - Lines on the Jar

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2021 29:57


    Flip cup? Rage cage? How about Jamshid's Jar?

    Ep. 10 - Let's Do Something

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2021 39:58


    Mystic birds, shadows, and wine? Hafez gives us the sparknotes on political activism. Also, Attar came first.

    Ep. 9 - Running Tears

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2021 38:15


    Take away his wine and Hafez will dish out some poetically political burns.

    Ep. 8 - Not Necessarily

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2021 32:11


    IYKYK

    Ep. 7 - A Breath of the Cool Breeze

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2021 39:25


    Happy Norooz! Sorry we're getting this out late, but we just couldn't resist the weather on Persian New Year. If you too feel a deep longing for springtime make sure to give this episode a listen!

    Ep. 6 - A Turn of the Compass

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2021 31:36


    What do Hafez and Taylor Swift have in common? Tune in to find out.

    Ep. 5 - My Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2021 33:19


    Magicians, flying horses, and eyebrow pencils. Plus, Yadi tries to answer the age old question: What is love?

    Ep. 4 - Bleeding Hearts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2021 35:20


    If you've been eagerly waiting for the next episode then look no further! We spent extra time working on this one because in this poem Hafez delves into one of his favorite topics...wine.

    Ep. 3 - When We Were Together

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2021 24:57


    In this poem, Hafez helps us unpack that feeling of longing we all get for the friends and family we miss.

    Ep. 2 - Expectations of Friendship

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2020 20:28


    It's Yadi and Kia, back for Episode #2 of Hearing Hafez! This time we're reading a poem in which Hafez discusses the complicated nature of the expectations we have for our friendships.

    Ep. 1 - Overcoming Sadness

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2020 23:05


    We figured Yalda Night would be perfect to kickoff this new podcast. So here we are! Featuring a poem Hafez wrote about Yalda Night.

    Welcome to Hearing Hafez

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2020 3:48


    Hello! Glad to have you join us as we explore the poetic beauty and wisdom of Hafez's writing. Tea and sweets are highly recommended while listening. Stay tuned for a new poem every episode!

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