Turning Point in Shamloo’s Poetic Evolution
While Shamloo’s early poetry was deeply rooted in Nima’s style, his artistic direction shifted following his acquaintance with Fereydoun Rahnema. Rahnema, who had recently returned from Europe, was well-versed in contemporary global poetry and introduced Shamloo to new literary dimensions. This exposure led to the publication of Shamloo’s poetry collection Qetnameh in 1955. Rahnema wrote a critical preface to the book, likening the rhythm of Shamloo’s poetry to that of Spanish and Latin American poets, particularly Federico García Lorca.
However, the publication of Qetnameh created tensions between Shamloo and Nima. Nima, who adhered to specific poetic principles, viewed Shamloo’s weightless, free-verse approach as a deviation from the poetic framework he had pioneered. Shamloo later admitted that this shift in his style, though inspired by lessons he learned from Nima, was perceived by his mentor as an affront. Nima distanced himself from Shamloo, and their relationship grew colder. Despite this, Shamloo never disavowed Nima’s influence and continued to acknowledge his importance in shaping his poetic identity. Over time, scholars and critics have noted that Shamloo’s impact on contemporary Iranian poetry has, in some ways, surpassed that of Nima.