Wednesday, January 14, 2026

For the People of Iran

 








BABA TAHER

Baba Taher (1000-1075?), also known as Oryaan
(the Naked) is recognised as one of the first poets
of mystical love, later known as Sufism, in modern
Persian. Very little is known about his life other than
his being originally from the city of Hamadan, 
where he is also buried. He is best known for his 
lyrical doe-bayt (two verse) quatrains.





Translated by Ali Alizadeh and John Kinsella (taken from Six Vowels and Twenty Three Consonants: An Anthology of Persian Poetry from Rudaki to Langroodi, ed. Ali Alizadeh and John Kinsella)





Friday, January 9, 2026

Supporting Writers Who Have Withdrawn from Adelaide Festival


There is no room for censorship of the arts, not ever. We are a community of difference/s, and communities of difference are necessary to creating safe, just and caring communities at large. Nor is there ever a supportable reason for cancelling, as the New South Wales government has done, the right to protest, to marching for a cause in a peaceful way. Shutting down conversation does not bring healing.

And I also want to voice our complete opposition to the actions of the Trump administration in attacking Venezuela under its 'Donroe' doctrine of western imperialism, its abuse of the land and people in its oil theft and usage, and its blatant attempt to enact yet another colonialism on the people of Greenland. One does not have to search very hard to find Australian undercurrents in the mining grab for Greenland rare earth and uranium deposits. In all of this we are dealing with a growing capitalist oppression, exploitation and tyranny.


John Kinsella