Synopses & Reviews
Poetry. National Poetry Series 2000 winner, selected by Victor Hernandez Cruz. Stirring and verdant, the poetry within THAT KIND OF SLEEP invites readers behind the opaque curtain that has historically concealed the lives of modern and tradition Iranian women. Susan Atefat-Peckham's images alternately whet and sting the senses as rich chador fabrics, earthy cooking scents and the tender guidance of uncles and grandmothers give way to scenes of female mistreatment that make the reader ache to return to the shelter that the chador and curtain - rightfully or otherwise - provide. "THAT KIND OF SLEEP is a pendulum between cultures . . . reading these Islamic-Persian influenced poems, one disappears through so many columns of history" - Victor Hernandez Cruz.
Synopsis
This stunning National Poetry Series winner invites readers behind the opaque curtain that has traditionally concealed the lives of modern and traditional Iranian women. Peckham’s images alternately whet and sting the senses as rich chador fabrics and earthy cooking scents give way to scenes of women being persecuted and even killed. But it is love for family and culture that give this collection a gentle glow.
Susan Atefat Peckham was born in New Jersey to Iranian immigrant parents. This is her first poetry collection.
Synopsis
Poems that delicately unveil the sensual beauty and occasional terror of the author's Iranian heritage.