The Persian and The Poet

Follow The Persian and The Poet
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Cameron and Ramak share poems of love and wonder in English and Farsi! Who is this 'Persian' and this 'Poet'? Ramak Bamzar is a conceptual photographer studying her Masters in Fine Arts at RMIT. She has always had a love for poetry and she's 'The Persia

Cameron and Ramak share poems of love and wonder in English and Farsi


    • Oct 2, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 25m AVG DURATION
    • 22 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from The Persian and The Poet with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from The Persian and The Poet

    22... Raising the flag of kindness

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2021 24:47


    Poem 1: 'Colonisation' by Cameron Semmens; translation by Ramak Bamzar. Music: 'On The Fly' by M. Carney.   Poem 2: 'Ghazal 164' by Hafez. Music: 'Dastgahe Homayun, Pt. 3.' from the album ‘Iran – Masters of Traditional Music, Vol. 1. (Persian Music)'.   Additional music: 'A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com   Production and editing by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com  Graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com    For all things ‘The Persian and The Poet', go to https://www.facebook.com/thepersianandthepoet

    21... Whispering to myself this poem

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2021 26:40


    Cam memorialising in a poem the very first time he heard a poem spoken in Persian back in late 2019 ... it was shared by a fascinating, arty woman he'd just met ... she goes by the name of Ramak! Poem 1 – FARSI – 'Let Us Believe in the Beginning of the Cold Season' by Forough Farrokhzad. Music : 'Clouds' by Rod Gear from the album 'The Wood That Sings'  www.rodgearmusic.com Poem 2 – ENGLISH – 'The Spring and The Forest'  by Cameron Semmens. Music : ‘Love her and she will watch over you' by Luke Pittman. Poem 3 – ENGLISH – 'Let Us Believe in the Beginning of the Cold Season' by Forough Farrokhzad translated by Michael Hillmann. Music : 'Clouds' by Rod Gear from the album 'The Wood That Sings' www.rodgearmusic.com Poem 4 – FARSI – 'The Spring and The Forest'  by Cameron Semmens, translated by Ramak Bamzar. Music : ‘Love her and she will watch over you' by Luke Pittman.   Additional music: 'A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com 'Dastgahe Homayun, Pt 2' from the album ‘Iran – Masters of Traditional Music, Vol. 1 (Persian Music)'.   Production and editing – Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com   Photography and graphic design – Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    20... Upside Drowning – BOOK LAUNCH... yay!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2021 29:04


    The Persian: Ramak Bamzar. The Poet: Cameron Semmens. All poems from the book ‘Upside Drowning – poems from the edge of the ocean', by Cameron Semmens; available through www.webcameron.com Poem 1: ‘Listening to The Ocean' by Cameron Semmens Poem 2: ‘Curious Fragments of Memory' by Cameron Semmens; music: ‘A Thousand Goodnights' from the album: ‘Tears of The Candle'  by M. Carney. Poem 3: ‘The Lips of The Sea' by Cameron Semmens; music: ‘Erupting Light' from the album ‘Without Sinking' by Hildur Guðnadóttir & Jóhann Jóhannsson. Poem 4: ‘The Dream of Oblivion' by Cameron Semmens; music: ‘Circular' from the album ‘Without Sinking' by Hildur Guðnadóttir & Jóhann Jóhannsson. Additional background music: ‘On The Doorstep' and ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Production and editing by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com  Graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com  For all things ‘The Persian and The Poet', go to https://www.facebook.com/thepersianandthepoet

    19... Futile Magic and The Swift Fingers of Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2021 14:34


    Poem 1: The Swifts in The Willow by Cameron Semmens;  translation by Ramak Bamzar.  Music: ‘Overcast' by Hildur Gudnadottir & Johann Johannsson,  from the album ‘Without Sinking'.   Poem 2: Futile Magic by Fereydoon Moshiri; translation by Frank Moshiri (2015). Music: ‘Avaze Bayate Esfahan' from the album  ‘Iran – Masters of Traditional Music, Vol. 1 (Persian Music)'.   Production and editing – Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com    Photography and graphic design – Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com 

    18... Nowruz – Persian New Year and a new little poem

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2021 13:38


    Ramak shares about Nowruz – the symbology and her experiences. Cameron surprises her with a brand new poem: Standing in Love Enjoy!

    17... FARSI ONLY: The Fall of The Willow – online album (all of Ramak's translations of Cam's poems from the 2020 season)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2021 28:20


    In essence, this episode – The Fall of The Willow – is a spoken-word album, which you can listen to in one continuous stream. It's a curated compilation consisting of each one of Cameron Semmens' original poems translated and recited by Ramak Bamzar in the 2020 podcast season. These gorgeous translations have been brought together to create a single half-hour of swirling, twirling, whispered and hollered words declared and confided to YOU – our dear listener. May love and wonder seep into your bones...   NOTE: If you'd like to listen to Cameron's original poems in English, go to the previous episode: 16... SPECIAL: The Fall of The Willow – online album (all of Cam's poems from the 2020 season)   The poems:   1 :  As I Stand on Edge of The Park 2 : What Happened in The Forest? 3 : Still Trying To 4 : The Father of Butterflies 5 : Come Into Me 6 : They are a secret 7 : In The Mountains 8 : Petalled Pillows and Thorny Sheets – Part 1 9 : Petalled Pillows and Thorny Sheets – Part 2 10 : Rapid ‘I' Movement Towards You 11 : The Mind is a Yacht, The Heart an Oil Tanker 12 : Upon Approaching a Dead Person in a Hospice 13 : The Wattle and The Willow Music credits:   Title song : 'A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com 1 :  Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com 2 : Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com 3 : ‘Chasm' from the album ‘Separate Journeys' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com 4 : ‘Viewed from The Climb' from the album ‘Separate Journeys' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com 5 : ‘God' from the album ‘Henotic' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com 6 : ‘Frederique' by Michael Carney. 8 : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com 9 : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com  10 : ‘Love her and she will watch over you' by Luke Pittman 11 : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com 12 : ‘Frederique' by Michael Carney. 13 : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com

    16... SPECIAL: The Fall of The Willow – online album (all of Cam's poems from the 2020 season)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2021 31:42


    In essence, this episode – The Fall of The Willow – is a spoken-word album, which you can listen to in one continuous stream. It's a curated compilation consisting of each one of Cameron's original poems shared in the 2020 podcast season. These poems have been brought together to create a single half-hour of swirling, twirling, whispered and hollered words declared and confided to YOU – our dear listener. May love and wonder seep into your bones...             Coming soon: all the translations of these poems in Farsi           read by Ramak Bamzar in a special FARSI ONLY episode!   Poem 1 :  As I Stand on Edge of The Park Poem 2 : What Happened in The Forest? Poem 3 : Still Trying To Poem 4 : The Father of Butterflies Poem 5 : Come Into Me Poem 6 : They are a secret Poem 7 : Petalled Pillows and Thorny Sheets – Part 1 Poem 8 : Petalled Pillows and Thorny Sheets – Part 2 Poem 9 : In The Mountains Poem 10 : The Mind is a Yacht, The Heart an Oil Tanker Poem 11 : Upon Approaching a Dead Person in a Hospice Poem 12 : Rapid ‘I' Movement Towards You Poem 13 : From My Dry Lips Poem 14 : The Wattle and The Willow MUSIC CREDITS:   Title song : 'A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com 1 :  Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com 2 : Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com 3 : ‘Chasm' from the album ‘Separate Journeys' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com 4 : ‘Viewed from The Climb' from the album ‘Separate Journeys' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com 5 : ‘God' from the album ‘Henotic' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com 6 : ‘Frederique' by Michael Carney. 7 : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com 8 : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com  10 : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com 11 : ‘Frederique' by Michael Carney. 12 : ‘Love her and she will watch over you' by Luke Pittman 13 : Cameron Semmens 14 : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com  

    15... Forever in 3 Minutes – MINI-EPISODE – an intro to the 2021 season

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 3:54


    Poem : From My Dry Lips – words and music by Cameron Semmens. Title music : A Warm Welcome – Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Production and editing – Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com Photography and graphic design – Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    14... Yalda Night Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2020 52:31


    Episode 14 : Yalda Night Special Ramak and Cam share a night full of candles, cosiness, fruit and poetry! Gorgeous ghazals from one of the greatest of all Persian poets: Hafiz, as well as exquisite poems from Cam's 3 favourite poets: David Whyte, Mary Oliver and John O'Donohue…. and Cam couldn't not share a brand-new ghazal he'd just written. But some may be asking – What is Yalda Night? Well, Yalda Night is a winter solstice festival celebrated in Iran. Friends and family gather on the longest night of the year to eat, drink and read poetry (especially Hafez) until well after midnight. Nuts and fruits are shared. The red-coloured fruits, like pomegranates and watermelons, are particularly significant – symbolising the crimson hues of dawn and the glow of life. The poems of Hafez, which can be found in the bookcases of most Iranian families, are read aloud… and even used as a light-hearted form of divination called ‘fal-e Hafez', where the reader sends out a wish to Hafez, flicks through their book of Hafez poems, stops at a random page, and reads that poem as an answer to their wish… and on this Yalda Night in 2020 Ramak and Cam try a bit of fal-e Hafez… with thought-provoking results! Poem list: 1 : Sweet Darkness by David Whyte. 2 : A Summer Day by Mary Oliver. 3 & 4 : Ghazals by Hafez from The Divan of Hafez. 5 : Ode 44 (a ghazal by Hafez) translated by Richard Le Gallienne. 6 : A Silent Refrain by Cameron Semmens 7 : For The Break-up of a Relationship by John O'Donohue   All music by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    13... The Wattle and The Willow... sharing our love with you

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2020 19:05


    Poem 1 : The Wattle and The Willow by Cameron Semmens. Translation by Ramak Bamzar. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com   Poem 2 : How Impatient by Ahmad Shamlou. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com   Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com   Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com   Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    12... And someone is dying

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2020 30:39


    Episode 11 : And someone is dying ... In this episode Ramak and Cameron discuss times they have stood beside death. For Cameron, at hospital bedsides; for Ramak, as a documentary photographer, in the disaster zone of the 2003 Bam earthquake in southern Iran. And they wonder over the fact that… as someone is dying… another is coming to life. As Ned Kelly said in his famous last words before he hung from the noose: such is life. Poem 1 : Upon Approaching a Dead Person in a Hospice by Cameron Semmens; translation by Ramak Bamzar. Music : ‘Frederique' by Michael Carney. Poem 2 : Moonlight by Ahmad Shamlou; translation into English by Iraj Bashiri. Music by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    11... The Mind is a Yacht, The Heart an Oil Tanker

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2020 22:12


    Poem 1 : The Mind is a Yacht, The Heart an Oil Tanker by Cameron Semmens; translation by Ramak Bamzar and Roya Bamzar. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com Poem 2 : Oasis in a Moment by Sohrab Sepehri; translation into English by Ismail Salami. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    10... Tonight, wonder will flap its wings

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2020 25:54


    Poem 1 : Rapid ‘I' Movement Towards You by Cameron Semmens; translation by Ramak Bamzar. Music: ‘Love her and she will watch over you' by Luke Pittman. Poem 2 : ‘Beyond Presence' by Sohrab Sepehri; translation into English by Ali Salami.  Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com  Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com  Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com 

    9... Tripping up in the darkness (...is this a good poem?)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 26:23


    Poem 1 : ‘The Wind Will Take Us' by Forough Farrokhzad; translation into English by Daniel Shams. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com  Poem 2 : 'Petalled Pillows and Thorny Sheets – Part 2' by Cameron Semmens; translation by Ramak Bamzar. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com  Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com  Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com  Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com 

    8... Beyond the borders of your body... I love you

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2020 29:46


    Poem 1 : 'Petalled Pillows and Thorny Sheets – Part 1' by Cameron Semmens; translation by Ramak Bamzar. Music : Rod Gear. Poem 2 : ‘Tryst' by Ahmad Shamlou; translation into English by Naim Nabili and Frank Lewis. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com  Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com … Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com …  Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com …

    7... The Mountains and Shamlou

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2020 30:58


    Poem 1 : 'In The Mountains' by Cameron Semmens; translation by Ramak Bamzar. Poem 2 : The Dead-end Rod road by Ahmad Shamlou; translation by Sholeh Wolpé. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    6... Secrets... and Rumi

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2020 22:10


    Episode 6 : Secrets... and Rumi. Poem 1 : 'They are a secret' by Cameron Semmens; translation into Farsi by Ramak Bamzar. Music : ‘Frederique' by Michael Carney. Poem 2 : A selection of quatrains by Rumi; translation into English by Maryam Mafi and Azima Melita Kolin. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com  Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek. Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens. Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar.

    5... A Room Full of Rumi

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2020 31:31


    Episode 5 : A Room Full of Rumi. 1 : 'Come Into Me' by Cameron Semmens; translation by Ramak Bamzar. Music : ‘God' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com 2 : A ghazal by Rumi; translation into English by Mariam Maafi. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com  Poems 3 and 4 by Rumi. Title music by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens. Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar.

    4... The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam... and Butterflies

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2020 29:24


    Episode 4 : The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam… and Butterflies. Poem 1 : 'The Father of Butterflies' by Cameron Semmens; translation into Farsi by Ramak Bamzar. Music : ‘Viewed from The Climb' from the album ‘Separate Journeys' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com Poem 2 : 'The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam' compiled by Kamran Kuhestany; translation into English by Dr. Rosen. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    3... Love and Death

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2020 22:03


    Episode 3: LOVE and DEATH Title music : ‘A Warm Welcome' by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Poem 1 : 'Still Trying To' by Cameron Semmens. Translation into Farsi by Ramak Bamzar. Music : ‘Chasm' from the album ‘Separate Journeys' by Spike Mason www.spikemason.com Poem 2 : 'I Will Greet The Sun Again' by Forough Farouzad. Music : Rod Gear www.rodgearmusic.com Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens : www.webcameron.com Photography and graphic design by Ramak Bamzar : www.ramakbamzar.com

    2... The Forest And Forough

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2020 32:05


    Episode 2: The Forest and Forough. Poem1 : 'What Happened in The Forest?' by Cameron Semmens. Translation into Farsi by Ramak Bamzar. Poem 2 : 'Another Birth' by Forough Farouzad. Translation into English by Karim Emami. All music by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Photography and Graphic design: Ramak Bamzar Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens.

    1... Shiraz and Poetry

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2020 18:56


    Poem 1 : ‘As I Stand on Edge of The Park' by Cameron Semmens. Translation into Farsi by Ramak Bamzar. Poem 2 : ‘The Bird May Die' by Forough Farrokhzad. Translation into English by Maryam Dilmaghani. All music by Jared Haschek: jaredhaschek.com Photography and Graphic design: Ramak Bamzar Podcast produced by Cameron Semmens.

    Claim The Persian and The Poet

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel