Here, you will find a selection of quatrains by Mahmud Kianush, presented in both Persian and their English translations.
A quatrain is a poetic form consisting of four lines, creating a verse or stanza within a poem. Quatrains are popular for their versatility, easily adapting to various rhyme schemes and rhythmic patterns. The term “quatrain” comes from the French word “quatre,” meaning “four.”
In Persian poetry, a particular type of quatrain known as a ruba’i follows a rhyme scheme of AABA or AAAA. This form, made famous by Persian poets like Omar Khayyám in the eleventh century, was reintroduced to English poetry in the eighteenth century, where it inspired poets to incorporate its unique structure into their own work. The ruba’i remains a highly specialised and distinctive form of expression within Persian poetry.
Selected Poems from this Collection
Click on the title to view the entire Poem
Apocalypse
From the top of the dark dome of the mournful Night
With the eye of madness stares at me the Moon;
Bystanders
Today, as a silent bystander, with no grief, no fear,
I bid my ears the burning cries of blood not to hear;
Sunflowers
Sunflowers: I have seen them everywhere;
They are beautiful, this no one can deny;
White Balloon
The night’s beauty has played magic:
Darkness and light have mixed together,