Nimā Yushij (1897-1960), the first major modern Persian poet, developed a poetic form later called New Poetry, Free Poetry or Nimāic Poetry to remove the restrictions of traditional rhyme and meter. Although he was not the only or even the first trying to modernize Persian poetry, he was the one on whom was bestowed the title “the father of modern Persian poetry”.

Life and Works

‘Ali Esfandiāri (who later chose Nimā Yushij for his name) was born on 11 November 1897, in Yush, a village in Nur, a city in northern Iran. His father, Ebrāhim Khān ‘Ezām al-Saltaneh Nuri, was a vehement supporter of Constitutionalism (Tahbaz, 2008: 20). He was able to read and write; the fact marks him as “a member of the Iranian elite at the turn of the twentieth century”

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Citation: Fomeshi, Behnam M.. "Nimâ Yushij". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 04 March 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=13662, accessed 23 November 2024.]