The Persian and The Poet

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

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

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

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 

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

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

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  

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

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

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

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

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

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 

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 

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 …

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.