Speaking during his annual meeting with poets and literati on Monday night, the Leader said, “I am very concerned about the Persian language, because in general, the Persian language has fallen into decay.”

He criticized Persian media and Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) for disregard of the standard language, using “faceless language” and foreign terms and words, and addressed the cultural officials and literati, “Don’t let the Persian language fall into decay and ruin.”

He called the lyrics of theme songs from IRIB films and series nonsense and “really shallow,” and noted, “Over the centuries, great poets have maintained the eloquent Persian language and have successfully transferred it to us. Therefore we should have the greatest respect for it and should not let a certain artless poet spoil it.”

“It is important for the nation to maintain its identity,” he noted and added, “A nation that loses its identity will be wiped out by the aliens.”      

Ayatollah Khamenei viewed the current state of Iran’s revolutionary poetry as promising and added, “The current state of the revolutionary poetry has made significant progress in contents, innovation and eloquence of terms.”

He denounced those people who categorize poetry into “artistic poetry” and “committed poetry” and said, “Works of the Persian poetry icons such as Hafez, Sadi, Ferdowsi and Rumi are full of morals, teachings, commitment, knowledge, mysticism, spirituality and pure Islam. Therefore an attitude that creates a divide between the aesthetics aspect and the commitment of poetry is clearly wrong, and is rooted in ignorance or lack of knowledge.”

He asked the poets to regard in their poetry the splendor of the Iranian people’s rush to help their fellows in the flood-hit regions. 

“This will turn your poetry into the identity flag of the country,” the Leader noted.

Poets and literary figures from India and Afghanistan attended the meeting that is organized annually on the birthday of Imam Hassan (AS), which falls on the 15th of the holy month of Ramadan.

The poets and writers presented the Leader with their latest books.    

Source:Tehrn Times