Plant Friendship's Tree: Essays on Persian Literature and Poetry

In this remarkable collection of essays and talks spanning four decades, acclaimed translator and poet Dick Davis explores the literary richness of Persian poetry and prose with a clarity, empathy, and aesthetic insight that have made him one of the foremost interpreters of Persian literature for the English-speaking world. Plant Friendship’s Tree gathers together thirty-four wide-ranging pieces that delve into classical epics such as Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, mystical masterpieces like Rumi’s Masnavi, romantic verse from Nezami and Gorgani, and the lyrical brilliance of poets like Hafez and Jahan Malek Khatun. With characteristic elegance, Davis examines the evolution of heroes and heroines, the aesthetics of narrative, the complex intersections of religion and identity, and the subtle power of poetic metaphor in the Persian literary tradition.Equally at home with the nuances of medieval Persian and the cadences of English verse, Davis also reflects on the art of literary translation – its triumphs, pitfalls, and transformative potential across cultures. His essays are not only scholarly but deeply personal, written with the sensibility of a practicing poet and a devoted reader. Whether writing for fellow scholars, general readers, or complete newcomers, Davis seeks to share the beauty, depth, and humanity of Persian literature with a wide audience.Comprehensively annotated, and suffused with intellectual curiosity and a deep affection for its subject matter, Plant Friendship’s Tree is both a landmark contribution to Iranian literary studies and a celebration of the enduring friendships that literature cultivates across languages, centuries, and borders. Read more