About Shams Langeroodi’s poems

Langeroodi’s poetic body of work includes over twenty original poetry collections, more than fifteen selections, and two volumes of collected poems. Across these works, he consistently captures the full range of human emotion, shared struggles, and universal joys, all conveyed in simple, accessible, yet deeply profound language.

Shams Langeroodi’s poems are rich in emotional depth, capturing the complexities of human existence with both clarity and nuance. His work often balances simplicity with profound philosophical insights, making his poetry accessible while also deeply thought-provoking. Here are a few aspects that could be added to further enrich a description of his poetry:

Dancing with a Fake Passport is a collection of poems by Shams Langeroodi, published late in 2023, by Negah Publishing (@negahpub). This volume consists of 83 poems in Farsi, following undergoing a few rounds of scrutiny by state censors, where 16 poems were deemed forbidden to join the collection in being published.

The White Train is a comprehensive poetry collection that brings together four distinct volumes: The Rhymed Poem of Return, The Book of Music: Poems in Appreciation of Instruments, The Desert Book (featuring 31 poems), and The White Train Book (with 134 poems). Published in 2021 by Negah Publishing House, the collection showcases a diverse array of themes and poetic forms.

Two of the volumes, The Rhymed Poem of Return and The Book of Music: Poems in Appreciation of Instruments, were originally released by Cheshme Publishing (2014) and Negah Publishing (2018), respectively. In this new edition, The Rhymed Poem of Return has been updated and reworked, offering readers a fresh version of the previously published work.

The Book of Music: Poems in Appreciation of Instruments features 39 poems, first published as an independent collection in 2018 by Negah Publishing (@negahpub). Of these, 27 explore the world of musical instruments—ranging from the reed, flute, and santur, to the cello, duduk, tanbur, mandolin, and many more, including the kamancheh, setar, tar, violin, qichek, rabab, oud, mouth organ, piano, daf, harp, qanun, accordion, and balalaika. The remaining twelve poems delve into the essence of music itself, as well as the sounds of water, wind, the sea, a whistle, dripping water, the tensions of war, the pulse of excitement, and the nostalgia of old radios.

Shams Langroodi’s bond with music runs deep. Beyond playing melodies on his whistle, he is a self-taught songwriter, melody writer, and singer with over 20 songs to his name. In this collection, readers are invited to experience the poetic reflection of Shams’ musical sensibility—where the reverberations of instruments, the movement of water, the whisper of wind, and even the clangor of war all merge into one harmonious exploration of sound and meaning.

The Words Came to See Me