On Leili’s Grave

Forough Farrokhzad (1934–67), is known in Iran as one of the most influential female poets of the twentieth century. Challenging the traditional limits of Iranian literature and social norms, her work is celebrated for its unique blend of social commentary and personal reflection. Farrokhzad’s contributions to the world of cinema, particularly the documentary The House Is Black, highlight her legacy as a pioneering voice for change in Iran.

Sheema Kalbasi is an Iranian American writer, humanitarian, and Pushcart Prize–winning poet. She is a recipient of a United Nations humanitarian award and a grantee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Her books include Echoes in Exile (PRA Publishing, 2006), Seven Valleys of Love (PRA Publishing, 2008), The Poetry of Iranian Women (Reel Content, 2008), Spoon and Shrapnel (Daraja Press, 2024), The War Took Our Name, selected for the Allison Joseph Series by Seven Kitchen Press (2026), and Jahan Malek Khatun: The Princess Poet of Fourteenth-Century Persia (Daraja Press, 2026). Her poems have been set to music and visual art, adapted into short films, and performed internationally at venues including the Smithsonian National Museum.