Majid Naficy was born in Iran in 1952. He published poetry, criticism and an award-winning children's book in Iran. During the 1970's Dr. Naficy was politically active against the Shah's regime. After the 1979 Revolution, as the new regime began to suppress the opposition, his first wife, Ezzat Tabaian and his brother Sa'id were amongst the many to be executed. He fled Iran in 1983, eventually settling in Los Angeles with his son Azad. He has since published six volumes of poetry in both English and Farsi, as well as numerous books of criticism. His most recent volume of poetry in English.

Father and Son, was published in 2003 by Red Hen Press and his poem "I Don't Want You Petroleum" appears in Sam Hamill's Poets Against the War (Thunder's Mouth Press / Nation Books, April 2003). He holds a doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of California in Los Angeles. His doctoral dissertation, Modernism and Idealogy in Persian Literature: A Return to Nature in the Poetry of Nima Yushij (University Press of America) was published in 1997. Dr. Naficy is also the co-editor of Daftarhaye Kanoon, a periodical in Farsi published by the Iranian Writer's Association in Exile.

About the translator:

Niloufar Talebi was born in London to Iranian parents, Ms. Talebi has been schooled in Iran, Europe and the United States. She received a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Irvine, and is currently pursuing an MFA in Writing and Literature from Bennington College. In 1992 she was commissioned by the University of California to write a series of educational children's stories based on expeditions in Mexico and New Mexico. In 1995, she worked for Mother Jones Magazine as a research fellow and reviewer. She has been working as producer and performer in film, theater and dance since the 1980's. Her choreography and performance works have been seen at The Magic Theater, The Metronome Ballroom, Berkeley Repertory Theater, The Actor's Theater, New Langton Arts, San Francisco Opera, Mexican Heritage Plaza, Palace of Fine Arts, Marin Showcase Theater, Intersection for the Arts, and Baltimore Center Stage. She is a principal artist with Ballet Afsaneh, performing locally and nationally. On December 7, 2003, she presented at the Songs of Rumi, Souls Ablaze concert, featuring the translations of Coleman Barks. Her translations of contemporary Iranian poetry have been published in The Throwback literary journal, and her interview with Pacifica Radio Station KPFA was aired in January 2004.

She is currently editing and translating into English an anthology of poetry by poets living outside of Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. For more information about The Translation Project, visit www.thetranslationproject.com.