AFSANEH in NIMA's INTRODUCTION-3

ای دل عاشقان ای  

ای زده نقش ها بر زمانه 

ای که از چنگ خود باز کردی 

نغمه های همه جاودانه 

بوسه بوسه لب عاشقان را 

...in his vivid  introduction to AFSANEH, to describe structure as a play or symbol with dialogue within dialogue,Nima writes:
O young poet!
This structure that has placed in my Afsaneh to show a natural and free dialogue,may not please you at once,and you may not appreciate it as much as I do.So you may ask why a light lenghty Ghazal comparing to classical ghazals, containing so many words?But my only point here has been freedom of language in a long subject.
And so I choose a way to fit a dialogue as previously has been approached by Molana Mohtasham Kashani
and others.And finally I wanted to take more advantage of all these.
I believe this is the best structure for plays,to be expressive.So for this,as for different types of poetry,I will call my Afsaneh a play,and no other names fitting.This is a proper structure to make a play and let the people talk freely.If some structure like Masnavi can tell a narrative or express a subject with little freedom and deliverance in its extends and make your heart and mind move.
In comparison,this structure has plenty of advantages.This structure has a capacity to take more subjects:descripyion,novel,tragedy,irony and whatever you will.
This structure is receptive of characters in your narratives as you wish.As it lets them talk naturally or decisively in a word or two,or in Mesraa,to lay on their own questions and answers without adding your words and placing them in their mouth just two utter a word or two.In fact,in this structure people do not partake in all of those troublsome poetical obligations of classicists and don't include much of"He said.He answered " to lenghten their poems.
What has made me believe in this new structure is to observe meanings and the nature of things as nothing is more important for poets than explaining nature and simplifying meanings.
When I finish my play and set the stage,I will tell you how and what I want to say.But know with some little thoughts you may not understand what I was after and what the differences of these structures with the old ones are.You will find my thoughts again on the introduction to the next play.This Afsaneh is only a sample
                                                                                                                                      NIMA YUSHIJ

*Notes
Kamaledin Mohtasham Kashani/Molana Mohtasham Kashani/Shamsolshoara
b.Kashan 905 H.Q.
d.996 H.Q.,Kashan
A Safavid eulogist poet of Shah Tahmasb period in 16th century,A.D.,
His famous poem starts with:
BAZ IN CHEH SHURESHI AST KEH DAR KHALGH E ALAM AST/
what is this revolt again in the people of the world

NAMAYESH:play,symbol
MOLANA:mevlana
MASNAVI:mathnavi,couplets
MESRAA:hemistitch
Tr.F.S.
modified for 11.12.2010.
on Nima's 113th birthday

AFSANEH NIMA,Introduction-2

عاشقاخیز کا مد بهاران 

چشمه ی کوچک از کوه جوشید 

گل به صحرا در آمد چو آتش 

رود تیره چو توفان خروشید 

دشت از گل شده هفت رنگه 

Other than NIMA's INTRODUTION TO AFSANEH,he also wrote about this poem in letters to friends,as he prophetically was aware of ite influence and historical value.
in a letter,addressed to Mirzadeh Eshghi,dated 1303/1924,Nima wrote that he is finishing final draft of another section of Afsaneh to send it to Eshghi's newspaper.He is surprised that some people are reading this poem,or immitating it "ina poem with the same rythm,then reading it and laughing,especially Rashid[Yasami.]
Nima goes on..."At least I could be a matter of joking and entertainment for them.This is an art,but still guiding them in a few years.My poems have two functions.They are like long pipes,both for smoking and being used as a cane to help walking."
Nima is confident that his NEW POETRY has its great merit and someday will be rewarded..." To prevent a natural cause is like building a dam on a rapid river.By this the next time it will flow powerfully more rapid .
Nima in this letter is also complaining of typographic errors because"abundance of typo will make my laughable poems more ridiculous."By all means ,Nima appears to be disappointed,as well."I finally now thatr Afsaneh will not be popular in public.It will be said that I distracted Eshghi.But you know it is not my fault.You are so talented in being distracted. we should not waist our time by discussing and arguing with them,and continue our work.You and I don't know tomorrow what shapes are born of theses waves.
people are the sea.if they are silent one day,the next day will go on revolution.
We are not aware of the children who are coming.We do not know their names,and you and I may not be there,but still will see the pioneers of this strong army."
Nima in a letter to his cousin Meftah,written in Uja Ben,Barforush(Babol,Mazadaran),dated 15 Day 1307/5 January 1928 writes:
The first time I gave my Afsaneh to a famous young man,,,he said:You have found a good way.Then he made his [poem]Ideal and read it for me.This was close to the method of my works...my friend was silenced...
Some poems of mine, printed in newspapers,appeared in an anthology of time,by a knowledgeable young man...then my followers were added on and especially Ey Shab became popular,"
In another letter to an unknown correspondent,dated 21 Aghrab(Scorpio0 1303/13 November 1924,Nima continues his case on Ey Shab,and further discusses Afsaneh .He says:
"They follow my Afsaneh,but only in appearance,and also they are doing so with my other new poetry.Before me ,the mediocres also followed western poetry for fun,but their works,other than being incomplete in literary expression and rethoric,but also more incomplete in technique."
Afsaneh is what Nima discusses again in a letter to Mobasheri,written in tTehran on 22 khordad 1324/12 june 1945:
"I leave Afsaneh with you...my mood is now different in a way that I don't pay attention to the subjects like that of Afsaneh..." Nima does not show if he is in mood of publishing his famous oeuvre either.He says:
"Afsaneh is what the public likes and foun them close to their taste,contrary to my curr5ent poems which are rather symbolic and in free verse." He talks about Afsaneh as a romantic personal piece and continues:
"Whatever good or bad in this poem ,is Nima of twenty three or four years ago,who came to townfrom behind those mountain facing us,and spent a ldishevelled ife full of a failed love  in here...now even for me,writing a poem like Afsaneh is not easy anymore."
Nima emphasyses on his dedication of Afsaneh to his teacher and now a friend:
I DEDICATE AFSANEH TO MY TEACHER,NEZAM VAFA,ALTHOUGH I KNOW THIS POEM IS A SMALL PRESENT,BUT HE FORGIVES THE PEOPLE OF THE MOUNTAIN WITH THEIR SIMPLE MINDS AND THEISR SINCERITY.
---
See More:
NIMA YUSHIJ LETTERS,in Farsi,Eds;Sirus Tahbaz,Sheragim Yushij,
Abi,Tehran1363/1984

AFSANEH NIMA,introduction-1

ای دل من دل من دل من 

چون ز گهواره برونم آورد 

مادرم سرگذشت تو می گفت 

بر من از رنگ و روی تو می زد

 دیده از جاذبه های تو می خفت 

ای دل من دل من دل من ...

AFSANEH is the beginning of NIMA and NIMAI POETRY
AFSANEH is the beginning of MODERN PERSIAN POETRY,as well.It is written by NIMA in Day 1301/1923
after these poems:
~TALE OF PALEFACE,COLD BLOOD(Hout 1299/march 1920)
~O NIGHT(1301/1922),first published in NOBAHAR NEWSPAPER(ed;MOHAMAD TAGHI BAHAR),Vol 13,No.10,1301
MENNAT DUNAN/indebtedness to inferiors,Assad 1300/August 1921
NIMA,in a letter to Mobasheri,dated 22 khordad 1324/1945 writes:
"I gave this poem of AFSANEH to the late friend MIRZADEH ESHGHI,with a short introduction.At that time ,in a second floor office in Eslambol Street,he was publishing GHARN BISTOM[NEWSPAPER].
I do not recall why the complete poem was not printed in there."
Portions of this poem ,in my english translation have been presented in a number  of NIMA NIGHT OF POETRY and or in literary journals,and gradually will appear in complete edition,on this site,or in print.
_F.S.