Stephen Watts

Leading Iranian and UK poets come together to read poems from Modern Poetry in Translation.

Stephen Watts reads his translations of the work of London-based Iranian poet Ziba Karbassi, which has been compared to the poetry of Marina Tsvetaeva. Karbassi gained attention with her poem 'Sangsar', ('Death By Stoning'), written in her early twenties and concerning the stoning to death of a relative of her mother.

'I know of very few poets worldwide whose lyric intensity matches hers or whose language is as honest to terror and to love.' (Stephen Watts)

Stephen also reads work by Esmail Khoi and Reza Baraheni, while other guests include Paul Batchelor, Karen McCarthy Woolf and Pascale Petit, all of whom have been involved in a project to translate modern Iranian poetry.

For ages 16+. Held in the Level 5 Function Room at Royal Festival Hall