Touran Mirhadi
Children Book Council
December 1990
"With my own hands I plant a tree
Dig a trench to bring water to its foot
Some grass seeds on its soil
I throw to remain after me
Slowly my tree will sprout leaves and more
Making thick branches overhead
Grass grows green and lush
A lawn appears under my tree
Summers when heat is on
My tree opens its umbrella
Makes it shady cool
Attracts any one who passes by"
These days, as we are nearing the anniversary of Abbas Yamini Sharif’s departure everywhere there is talk of this poet, writer, translator, educator, founder of Ravesheno Schools, founding member of the Children’s Book Council, Pouya Eductional Research Society, Manager of Children’s Games magazine, Student magazine, Kayhan for Children magazine, planner and innovator in education and many other works and activities.
I first met Yamini Sharif in 1965 when I had to write a report for a magazine. I Visited Ravesheno Schools and became familiar with some of his thoughts and views on children’s education. From the very beginning what profoundly affected me was the essentiality of children, their needs, rights and growth for this sincere patron of all children. This thought in those days was not well accepted by the majority of those involved in education and a lot of effort was needed for its acceptance.
From that time on, during the period we worked together in children’s education and in the relationship that later grew to a permanent cooperation in the Children’s Book Council and friendship and social gatherings, holding children as the principal interest, emphasis and perseverance in this important issue did not change. Moreover it found fresh and interesting dimensions and extensions by promoting in every opportunity, in the Supreme Council for Education and Nourishment, in drafting of the National Examination Guidelines, in writing articles and in interviews and counseling. If I permit myself to speak of the renovating role of Yamini Sharif’s works in the Children and Youths’ literature, perhaps is because of essentiality of Child and Youth’s and their needs in our common beliefs.
Abbas Yamini Sharif was a product of the traditions, values, noble thoughts and culture of our land. Traditions that emphasize on the holiness of writing and have a lot of respect for those who write and consider the ability to read and write as a god given advantage and those who believe that when God swears to the pen in Quran and advances man by teaching him words, humankind should be able to use this ability in elevating its level of thinking and sense of responsibility.
Values that consider access to books as a privilege that only special group enjoys for making of books is hard from its creation to it binding. Book is for those who know science therefore it should present original truth, deep and sustaining thoughts and promote a noble cause.
Thoughts that have created from the literature of our land a mix of art, education and nourishment where in poetry and prose, poems and stories always begin with prayer, descriptions with advices, events with morals. Rich culture that from childhood in lullabies, plays, tales and stories, songs and lyrics, in grieving and religious mornings raises children with love, courage, boldness, belief, and reliance on God and meanwhile in puzzles, quizzes, humorous anecdotes, point by point exposes and expresses social and moral weaknesses.
Abbas Yamini Sharif was educated in school and Maktab. He is familiar with trends of thoughts of society’s few as well as general public. His environment very soon introduces him to anti oppressive thoughts and that is how he dedicates 50 of his 70 years rich life to children and youth, these defenseless and most oppressed citizens of our country and until his last moments of his life, even when he thinks about death, he first thinks about children.
A quick look at the works in children’s literature that were published in the first decades from1920 demonstrates the revitalizing role of Yamini Sharif’s works. Studies by our researcher friends on the poetry works of previous Iranian poets, such as Mrs. Moghaddam in “10 decades of Children’s Poetry” and “Mr. Tahbaz” in search for finding childhood poems in published literature and Mr. Ghadamali Sarami in similar search show that in our published literature, except for few lines in between lines of advice, stories, wisdom, tributes and statements such as “once dealing with children, talk like children”, very little attention has been paid to Children.
In the first decade of 14th century, Iranian solar calendar (1920-1930) Jabbar Baghcheban becomes a pioneer in a kind of poetry for children. In the 2nd decade (1930-1940) Alinaghi Vaziri collects and composes popular poems for adolescents.In the 3rd decade (1940-1950) Abbas Yamini Sharif enters the scene with poetry that is new, original and inspiring, both in form as well as in content. In this period he publishes a collection of poems and a poetic long as well as several short stories, such as “Rain, Hail, Snow”, “I Am a Girl kids!”, “ I Fell on the Ground”, “Moon and I” and “ Story of Table and Lamp”
Rain, Hail, Snow
It rains, shor, shor, shor
Gutters have become, full, full, full
Water is going, gor, gor, gor
Flood is rushing ghor ghor, ghor
Hails drop dam, dam, dam
On the roof, bam, bam, bam
It snows, tiny, tiny, tiny,
Ground has become slippery, slippery, slippery,
Water leaks drop, drop, drop,
Like spears, sharp, sharp, sharp
I Am a Girl
I am a girl, kids!
Skilled in home making
Sharing my mothers chores
My father’s good girl
Clean from head to toe
Sweet as sugar
I Fell Down on the Ground
From top down
I fell on the ground
My face became
Bloody and bruised
MY mother said
My sweet child
Did not you cry
Bravo, bravo
Moon and I
O’ heavenly moon
You have became like a bow tonight
Brings to hearts
Joy your light
Don’t forget
To guard us at nights
Mornings from all eyes
You hide yourself
So that no one sees you
You appear at nights
How could remain hidden
A bright white face?
Far, far away from us
Without friend, alone
Taking your place
Up, up in the sky
To watch us
From that high
O’ my night loving moon
I follow you
At your beautiful face at night
I never closed my eyes
Become a pigeon tonight
Sit on my hand
So I pet you slowly
Then you sing with me
We play and joy
Together we fly
At dawn you will return
To your place from earth
No, no stay in the sky
Remain among all the stars
They are like children
For them be a mother
With everyone of them,
Be kind and understanding.
Evidently in these poems, Yaminis Sharif uses popular rhythms and in his poetic tales the influence of Parvin Etesami can be seen in his work but his poetic tales do not retain Parvin’s philosophical and difficult turns and stay educational.
In the 4th decade (1950-1960) he turns to tales, school and educational books and to some extent to translation and management of Kayhan for Children. This is the decade that children and Ravesheno School takes all his time. “Game with Alphabet” and “Adventures of Jamshid and Mahshid” are new works and without precedent and challenge young teachers and writers to make talented efforts.
The fifth decade (1960-1970) is decade of extraordinary growth for children and youths literature. A decade in which different magazines specially newsletters, Children’s Book Council, Center for Development of Children and Youths’ Thoughts appear.
With poetic tales such as “Feri flies in the Sky”, “Song of Young Flowers” and poetic and prose tale of “Parviz and the Mirror”, “In the Clouds” Yamini Sharif presents new experiences in content and form to the poets who stepped in the road to serve children like Parvin Dowlatabadi, Mahmoud Kianoosh who take children’s poetry to a new level of growth. Yamini Sharif’s works such as “We Work”, “Clock’s Ding Dong”, “ New Year’s Eve”, “ Blacksmith Master”, “It is Morning”
We Work
We children are blacksmiths
In hammering we are skilled
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We little ones are coppersmiths
Busier than coppersmiths
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We children are boat drivers
We know how to row well
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We little ones are carpenters
We work with saw and pick
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We little ones are bakers
Busier than bakers
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We little ones work hard
Work with everything
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
Clock’s Ding Dong
I make the sound: Ding Dong
Stone on my chest, I Pound
I make the sound: ring, ring, ring
I ring, I nicely sing
Two arms are on me
Two eyebrows sometimes
On my two sides sometimes
On one side sometimes
Winding is my food
Showing time is what I do
Singing every hour
Waking up from sweet dreams
I am from iron and brass
My shirt from glass
With wheels and teeth in body
I always sound tik tak
New Years Eve
It is the night of Eid, it’s the New Year
Willow trees are, full of sprouts
Now is the time, to run and run
Jump up, Jump down
Clean the house, sweep the floor
Time to dust, arrange the room
Time to buy, cookies and nuts
Wear clean and tidy clothes
Go to visit this, go to visit that
Say and listen to New Year’s wishes
Master Blacksmith
Master blacksmith
Your are happier than I
Five or six hammers you have
Pounding them all the time
Ta ta tak. ta ta tak, tak tak tak
Two and three, two and three, one, one, one
I work so much but
Only have one hammer
I keep hitting, dam, dam, dam
On my foot, on my hand
Ouch, my thumb, ouch my fingers
Ouch, ouch, here, ouch, ouch there
You have a fire furnace
You put steel in it
Your help keeps blowing
With his fan all the time
Pof dam, pof dam, pof dam dam
Pif pam, pif pam, pif pam pam
Me? Fire? Never, a, a
Mother says, a, a, a
When I find matches
As soon as I touch it
My shirt is on fire, my hair
O’ Momy, O’ Daddy
With my mad face
Stained and dirty from the smoke
Hair all burnt out
Eyebrows gone from the fire
Did not mommy say a, a
You became dirty and stained my, my?
But if I do not wash
My face and hands every day
My mommy will not like it
Raises her voice at me:
You are dirty go aside
Hurry up, go a bit farther
Morning Came
Morning came and sun
Shined and smiled
Whatever it smiled on,
Joyed and shined
Flowers opened
Colorful and pretty
Held their heads
Up high with pride
Butterflies again
Fly together
Sitting on flowers
Open as they become
Sparrow with joy
Started to sing
Flew up to the air
With blow of the wind
City woke up
With so much excitement
People got off
Happily to work
In reading these poems attention must be paid to their rhythms and their influence on the works of today’s poets must be understood. In those days using children’s paintings as illustrations in children’s books was a new idea that begged for some courage to do. “In the Clouds” used this idea and helped to open the way for publishing of Children’s and youths works.
In the sixth decade (1972-1982) eight works from Yamini Sharif are published that included two poetry collections, a long poetry, a short story, two long stories and a script for play. In these two poetry collections we see new subjects and forms such as:
Snow
Between the earth and the sky
Like pigeons’ features
Snow is falling large and small
One by one or handful
Wind blows around
As if cotton is being fluffed
On the roof, on the ground
On the faces on the heads
Snow falls from the sky
World is under a white sheet
Snow lays on the maple
Like ribbon on its branches
Pine’s body became white
Hidden behind the snow
Cypress has head to waist
Wedding lace on its face
Mountain turned old overnight
Its head became milky white
See, see how wonderful
Cotton is being fluffed in the air
Cooking Pot
Burning fire
Has burnt all around me
Innocently I have become
Burnt and stained
Water boils in my heart
I boil all the time
Still happy and carefree
Joyful and fine
Because I am useful, useful
I am proud everywhere
All my life
I cooked many raw
Every hardship I had
I accepted to be
Burning inside
For peoples sake
I bun and cope all the time
Try and attempt all the way
Because I am useful, useful
I am proud everywhere
Arrow and Call
My thumb released an arrow
Where it finally came down, I don’t know
Flew so fast the rapid arrow
That hid from eyes and went with the wind
I called out somewhere,
my feelings into the air
Did not see what happened, no one has seen,
passing of a call with own eyes
Some time passed till I came,
to pass by, one day
Saw on a tree my arrow,
my call in the heart of a beloved.
Sky’s Zoo
In that blue dome
Whatever there is, pretty it is
On its beautiful screens,
many things are to see
Nights full of stars,
like a ceiling full of images
Goat, cow, fish,
crab, scorpion, lion
A small bear that corner
A big bear on its side
Two bodies at one place
A level some other place
A herd of clouds
enters its blue fields
Like a zoo that is
coming from afar
A wild horse on that side
A wolf and a wale on this side
Elephant, leopard, deer
Rabbit, horse and mule
How funny is the world?
Everywhere is strange
This world below
That sky above
Is this world all there is?
or is there more than this?
Is it the sky underneath?
or garden of galaxies?
Where or what is all there is?
Who has seen it all?
Where is its below?
Where is its above?
What do we know?
from this book of being?
This book of being
has plenty unread
In these poems we clearly see how flow of imagination and thought gradually takes over advice and guidance and creates fresh and rare expressions particularly in poems for youth. But this change always takes place cautiously and without shattering the old traditional standards and guidelines except in the poem “Beloved Iran” that comprises all poet’s love.
Yamini Sharif loves nature, does not spare humor and uses it in his selection of subjects and presenting the issues in his works. He deals gently with incorrect views. People, animals, plants and objects are all correctable from his point of view. His love for children multiplies his love for all creatures hundred folds. In this decade the number of writers and poets are low and their space is limited.
After Iran’s Islamic revolution, from seventh decade of this century (1982-1992) Many young poets step in the scene and so do writers. Time comes when children exceed their fathers and students exceed their masters and this is the law of nature and just. The best work of Yamini Sharif in this period is undoubtedly “Half a Century in the Garden of Children’s Poetry”, a work that will always remember his historical role in the growth of Children’s literature in our land and will greatly help the creators of children’s literature for next generations.
May his sole rest in peace and his memory always be cherished.
Children Book Council
December 1990
"With my own hands I plant a tree
Dig a trench to bring water to its foot
Some grass seeds on its soil
I throw to remain after me
Slowly my tree will sprout leaves and more
Making thick branches overhead
Grass grows green and lush
A lawn appears under my tree
Summers when heat is on
My tree opens its umbrella
Makes it shady cool
Attracts any one who passes by"
These days, as we are nearing the anniversary of Abbas Yamini Sharif’s departure everywhere there is talk of this poet, writer, translator, educator, founder of Ravesheno Schools, founding member of the Children’s Book Council, Pouya Eductional Research Society, Manager of Children’s Games magazine, Student magazine, Kayhan for Children magazine, planner and innovator in education and many other works and activities.
I first met Yamini Sharif in 1965 when I had to write a report for a magazine. I Visited Ravesheno Schools and became familiar with some of his thoughts and views on children’s education. From the very beginning what profoundly affected me was the essentiality of children, their needs, rights and growth for this sincere patron of all children. This thought in those days was not well accepted by the majority of those involved in education and a lot of effort was needed for its acceptance.
From that time on, during the period we worked together in children’s education and in the relationship that later grew to a permanent cooperation in the Children’s Book Council and friendship and social gatherings, holding children as the principal interest, emphasis and perseverance in this important issue did not change. Moreover it found fresh and interesting dimensions and extensions by promoting in every opportunity, in the Supreme Council for Education and Nourishment, in drafting of the National Examination Guidelines, in writing articles and in interviews and counseling. If I permit myself to speak of the renovating role of Yamini Sharif’s works in the Children and Youths’ literature, perhaps is because of essentiality of Child and Youth’s and their needs in our common beliefs.
Abbas Yamini Sharif was a product of the traditions, values, noble thoughts and culture of our land. Traditions that emphasize on the holiness of writing and have a lot of respect for those who write and consider the ability to read and write as a god given advantage and those who believe that when God swears to the pen in Quran and advances man by teaching him words, humankind should be able to use this ability in elevating its level of thinking and sense of responsibility.
Values that consider access to books as a privilege that only special group enjoys for making of books is hard from its creation to it binding. Book is for those who know science therefore it should present original truth, deep and sustaining thoughts and promote a noble cause.
Thoughts that have created from the literature of our land a mix of art, education and nourishment where in poetry and prose, poems and stories always begin with prayer, descriptions with advices, events with morals. Rich culture that from childhood in lullabies, plays, tales and stories, songs and lyrics, in grieving and religious mornings raises children with love, courage, boldness, belief, and reliance on God and meanwhile in puzzles, quizzes, humorous anecdotes, point by point exposes and expresses social and moral weaknesses.
Abbas Yamini Sharif was educated in school and Maktab. He is familiar with trends of thoughts of society’s few as well as general public. His environment very soon introduces him to anti oppressive thoughts and that is how he dedicates 50 of his 70 years rich life to children and youth, these defenseless and most oppressed citizens of our country and until his last moments of his life, even when he thinks about death, he first thinks about children.
A quick look at the works in children’s literature that were published in the first decades from1920 demonstrates the revitalizing role of Yamini Sharif’s works. Studies by our researcher friends on the poetry works of previous Iranian poets, such as Mrs. Moghaddam in “10 decades of Children’s Poetry” and “Mr. Tahbaz” in search for finding childhood poems in published literature and Mr. Ghadamali Sarami in similar search show that in our published literature, except for few lines in between lines of advice, stories, wisdom, tributes and statements such as “once dealing with children, talk like children”, very little attention has been paid to Children.
In the first decade of 14th century, Iranian solar calendar (1920-1930) Jabbar Baghcheban becomes a pioneer in a kind of poetry for children. In the 2nd decade (1930-1940) Alinaghi Vaziri collects and composes popular poems for adolescents.In the 3rd decade (1940-1950) Abbas Yamini Sharif enters the scene with poetry that is new, original and inspiring, both in form as well as in content. In this period he publishes a collection of poems and a poetic long as well as several short stories, such as “Rain, Hail, Snow”, “I Am a Girl kids!”, “ I Fell on the Ground”, “Moon and I” and “ Story of Table and Lamp”
Rain, Hail, Snow
It rains, shor, shor, shor
Gutters have become, full, full, full
Water is going, gor, gor, gor
Flood is rushing ghor ghor, ghor
Hails drop dam, dam, dam
On the roof, bam, bam, bam
It snows, tiny, tiny, tiny,
Ground has become slippery, slippery, slippery,
Water leaks drop, drop, drop,
Like spears, sharp, sharp, sharp
I Am a Girl
I am a girl, kids!
Skilled in home making
Sharing my mothers chores
My father’s good girl
Clean from head to toe
Sweet as sugar
I Fell Down on the Ground
From top down
I fell on the ground
My face became
Bloody and bruised
MY mother said
My sweet child
Did not you cry
Bravo, bravo
Moon and I
O’ heavenly moon
You have became like a bow tonight
Brings to hearts
Joy your light
Don’t forget
To guard us at nights
Mornings from all eyes
You hide yourself
So that no one sees you
You appear at nights
How could remain hidden
A bright white face?
Far, far away from us
Without friend, alone
Taking your place
Up, up in the sky
To watch us
From that high
O’ my night loving moon
I follow you
At your beautiful face at night
I never closed my eyes
Become a pigeon tonight
Sit on my hand
So I pet you slowly
Then you sing with me
We play and joy
Together we fly
At dawn you will return
To your place from earth
No, no stay in the sky
Remain among all the stars
They are like children
For them be a mother
With everyone of them,
Be kind and understanding.
Evidently in these poems, Yaminis Sharif uses popular rhythms and in his poetic tales the influence of Parvin Etesami can be seen in his work but his poetic tales do not retain Parvin’s philosophical and difficult turns and stay educational.
In the 4th decade (1950-1960) he turns to tales, school and educational books and to some extent to translation and management of Kayhan for Children. This is the decade that children and Ravesheno School takes all his time. “Game with Alphabet” and “Adventures of Jamshid and Mahshid” are new works and without precedent and challenge young teachers and writers to make talented efforts.
The fifth decade (1960-1970) is decade of extraordinary growth for children and youths literature. A decade in which different magazines specially newsletters, Children’s Book Council, Center for Development of Children and Youths’ Thoughts appear.
With poetic tales such as “Feri flies in the Sky”, “Song of Young Flowers” and poetic and prose tale of “Parviz and the Mirror”, “In the Clouds” Yamini Sharif presents new experiences in content and form to the poets who stepped in the road to serve children like Parvin Dowlatabadi, Mahmoud Kianoosh who take children’s poetry to a new level of growth. Yamini Sharif’s works such as “We Work”, “Clock’s Ding Dong”, “ New Year’s Eve”, “ Blacksmith Master”, “It is Morning”
We Work
We children are blacksmiths
In hammering we are skilled
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We little ones are coppersmiths
Busier than coppersmiths
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We children are boat drivers
We know how to row well
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We little ones are carpenters
We work with saw and pick
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We little ones are bakers
Busier than bakers
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
We little ones work hard
Work with everything
Whether boys, whether girls
Happy we are to have work to do
Clock’s Ding Dong
I make the sound: Ding Dong
Stone on my chest, I Pound
I make the sound: ring, ring, ring
I ring, I nicely sing
Two arms are on me
Two eyebrows sometimes
On my two sides sometimes
On one side sometimes
Winding is my food
Showing time is what I do
Singing every hour
Waking up from sweet dreams
I am from iron and brass
My shirt from glass
With wheels and teeth in body
I always sound tik tak
New Years Eve
It is the night of Eid, it’s the New Year
Willow trees are, full of sprouts
Now is the time, to run and run
Jump up, Jump down
Clean the house, sweep the floor
Time to dust, arrange the room
Time to buy, cookies and nuts
Wear clean and tidy clothes
Go to visit this, go to visit that
Say and listen to New Year’s wishes
Master Blacksmith
Master blacksmith
Your are happier than I
Five or six hammers you have
Pounding them all the time
Ta ta tak. ta ta tak, tak tak tak
Two and three, two and three, one, one, one
I work so much but
Only have one hammer
I keep hitting, dam, dam, dam
On my foot, on my hand
Ouch, my thumb, ouch my fingers
Ouch, ouch, here, ouch, ouch there
You have a fire furnace
You put steel in it
Your help keeps blowing
With his fan all the time
Pof dam, pof dam, pof dam dam
Pif pam, pif pam, pif pam pam
Me? Fire? Never, a, a
Mother says, a, a, a
When I find matches
As soon as I touch it
My shirt is on fire, my hair
O’ Momy, O’ Daddy
With my mad face
Stained and dirty from the smoke
Hair all burnt out
Eyebrows gone from the fire
Did not mommy say a, a
You became dirty and stained my, my?
But if I do not wash
My face and hands every day
My mommy will not like it
Raises her voice at me:
You are dirty go aside
Hurry up, go a bit farther
Morning Came
Morning came and sun
Shined and smiled
Whatever it smiled on,
Joyed and shined
Flowers opened
Colorful and pretty
Held their heads
Up high with pride
Butterflies again
Fly together
Sitting on flowers
Open as they become
Sparrow with joy
Started to sing
Flew up to the air
With blow of the wind
City woke up
With so much excitement
People got off
Happily to work
In reading these poems attention must be paid to their rhythms and their influence on the works of today’s poets must be understood. In those days using children’s paintings as illustrations in children’s books was a new idea that begged for some courage to do. “In the Clouds” used this idea and helped to open the way for publishing of Children’s and youths works.
In the sixth decade (1972-1982) eight works from Yamini Sharif are published that included two poetry collections, a long poetry, a short story, two long stories and a script for play. In these two poetry collections we see new subjects and forms such as:
Snow
Between the earth and the sky
Like pigeons’ features
Snow is falling large and small
One by one or handful
Wind blows around
As if cotton is being fluffed
On the roof, on the ground
On the faces on the heads
Snow falls from the sky
World is under a white sheet
Snow lays on the maple
Like ribbon on its branches
Pine’s body became white
Hidden behind the snow
Cypress has head to waist
Wedding lace on its face
Mountain turned old overnight
Its head became milky white
See, see how wonderful
Cotton is being fluffed in the air
Cooking Pot
Burning fire
Has burnt all around me
Innocently I have become
Burnt and stained
Water boils in my heart
I boil all the time
Still happy and carefree
Joyful and fine
Because I am useful, useful
I am proud everywhere
All my life
I cooked many raw
Every hardship I had
I accepted to be
Burning inside
For peoples sake
I bun and cope all the time
Try and attempt all the way
Because I am useful, useful
I am proud everywhere
Arrow and Call
My thumb released an arrow
Where it finally came down, I don’t know
Flew so fast the rapid arrow
That hid from eyes and went with the wind
I called out somewhere,
my feelings into the air
Did not see what happened, no one has seen,
passing of a call with own eyes
Some time passed till I came,
to pass by, one day
Saw on a tree my arrow,
my call in the heart of a beloved.
Sky’s Zoo
In that blue dome
Whatever there is, pretty it is
On its beautiful screens,
many things are to see
Nights full of stars,
like a ceiling full of images
Goat, cow, fish,
crab, scorpion, lion
A small bear that corner
A big bear on its side
Two bodies at one place
A level some other place
A herd of clouds
enters its blue fields
Like a zoo that is
coming from afar
A wild horse on that side
A wolf and a wale on this side
Elephant, leopard, deer
Rabbit, horse and mule
How funny is the world?
Everywhere is strange
This world below
That sky above
Is this world all there is?
or is there more than this?
Is it the sky underneath?
or garden of galaxies?
Where or what is all there is?
Who has seen it all?
Where is its below?
Where is its above?
What do we know?
from this book of being?
This book of being
has plenty unread
In these poems we clearly see how flow of imagination and thought gradually takes over advice and guidance and creates fresh and rare expressions particularly in poems for youth. But this change always takes place cautiously and without shattering the old traditional standards and guidelines except in the poem “Beloved Iran” that comprises all poet’s love.
Yamini Sharif loves nature, does not spare humor and uses it in his selection of subjects and presenting the issues in his works. He deals gently with incorrect views. People, animals, plants and objects are all correctable from his point of view. His love for children multiplies his love for all creatures hundred folds. In this decade the number of writers and poets are low and their space is limited.
After Iran’s Islamic revolution, from seventh decade of this century (1982-1992) Many young poets step in the scene and so do writers. Time comes when children exceed their fathers and students exceed their masters and this is the law of nature and just. The best work of Yamini Sharif in this period is undoubtedly “Half a Century in the Garden of Children’s Poetry”, a work that will always remember his historical role in the growth of Children’s literature in our land and will greatly help the creators of children’s literature for next generations.
May his sole rest in peace and his memory always be cherished.