Sholeh Wolpé

Sholeh Wolpé
Wolpé in 2013; photo by Jordan Elgrably
Native name
شعله ولپی
Born1962 (age 63–64)[1]
Tehran, Iran
OccupationPoet, Author, playwright, librettist, editor, literary translator
Alma materGeorge Washington University,
Northwestern University,
Johns Hopkins University
Website
www.sholehwolpe.com

Sholeh Wolpé (Persian: شعله ولپی; born 1962 in Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian and American award-winning poet, Author, playwright, librettist, and literary translator. She was born in Iran, writes in English, and translates literature from Persian. Her literary work includes seven collections of poetry, several plays, five books of translations and three anthologies, as well as short stories and texts and librettos for the choir and opera. She is the Writer-In-Residence at the University of California, Irvine.[1][2][3]

The Poetry Foundation has written that “Wolpé’s concise, unflinching, and often wry free verse explores violence, culture, and gender. So many of Wolpé’s poems deal with the violent situation in the Middle East, yet she is ready to bravely and playfully refuse to let death be too proud.”[4]

About her new translations of Iranian Sufi mystic Attar, who Rumi considered a master, Literary Hub writes: "Sholeh Wolpé’s stunning new translation—the first in over 30 years—renders Attar’s engaging, singular voice with wit and flourish.” [5]

Wolpe's translations of Iran's rebel poet Forugh Farrokhzad [6] is considered the most accurate and musical. Her translations in Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad was awarded the 2010 Lois Roth Persian Translation[7]. In their citation the judges wrote: “In Wolpé’s fresh and vital translation, a musical and compelling English version that draws the reader along and captures a sense of the exquisitely balanced pacing of Farrokhzad’s language, and the immediacy and authenticity of her voice, the members of the Lois Roth jury found themselves experiencing Forugh’s Persian poems with new eyes."

Literary Work

-Attar- The Invisible Sun, Sholeh Wolpé, Harper Collins, August 2025 [8]

-Iran + 100, Stories from a Century After the Coup, story: "Tooth for a tooth" story by Sholeh Wolpe, Comma Press, 2025 [9]

-Ábaco de la Pérdida, poemas, Sholeh Wolpé, Visor Libros, Spain, June 2025 [10]

-Abacus of Loss—a memoir in verse, University of Arkansas Press, March 2022 [11]

-The Outsider, Poems, Recent Works Press, University of Canberra, Australia, 2018

-The Conference of the Birds, Attar, translated from Persian to English by Sholeh Wolpé. W. W. Norton & Co, March 2017 [12]

-Cómo Escribir una Canción de Amor, Poemas, Olifante Press, Spain, 2017 [13]

-Keeping Time with Blue Hyacinths, Poems, University of Arkansas Press, 2013.[14]

-Breaking the Jaws of Silence-- Sixty American Poets Speak to the World, edited by Sholeh Wolpé, University of Arkansas Press, 2013.[15]

-The Forbidden: Poems from Iran and its Exiles, Sholeh Wolpé, editor and translator of most of the poems in the anthology, Michigan State University Press, 2012.[16]

-Walt Whitman: Song of Myself, (Nashreh Naw, Iran), co-translated from English to Persian by Sholeh Wolpé and Mohsen Emadi, Commissioned by The International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, for Whitman Web Project: 2012-2013.[17]

-Atlanta Review: 2010 Iran Issue, editor and translator of some of the poems, Atlanta Review, 2010. [18]

-Tablet and Pen: Literary Landscape from the Modern Middle East, Sholeh Wolpé, regional editor and translator of selected pieces; edited by Reza Aslan, W.W. Norton & Company, 2010.[19]

-Rooftops of Tehran, Poems, Red Hen Press, 2008.[20]

-Sin: Selected Poems of Forugh Farrokhzad, edited and translated from Persian to English by Sholeh Wolpé, University of Arkansas Press, 2007.[21]

-The Scar Saloon, Poems, Red Hen Press, 2004.[22]

Plays and Texts For Music

-Nava Avaz - A full-length opera for five composers. Commissioned for 2026 performance. Recipient of Opera America Discovery Award in 2025.[23]

-New Voices – Longing I, Forugh Farrokhzad, composed by Charlotte Bray. Commissioned by Brooklyn Art Song Society Premiere: April 12, 2026 [24]

-THE SEVEN VALLEYS a multi-genre poetry/dance/music commissioned by The Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles. I Will Greet the Sun Again – Songs for Soprano and Piano, Aug 1, 2025. Composed by Pouya Hamidi. [25]

-THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS a semi-staged oratorio, Composed by Fahad Siadat, Libretto by Sholeh Wolpé

-Song of Exile (Part I), composed by Sauder Choi, Text by Sholeh Wolpe, Commissioned by The Arlington Choir [26]

-Song of Exile (part II), composed by Saunder Choi, Libretto, Sholeh Wolpé, Commissioned by New Voices, Wisconsin – Premiere Oct 26, 2024 [27]

-Language of Loss – Art Song composed by Aida Shirazi. Commissioned by Brooklyn Art Song Society – Premiere May 2, 2024, NYC [28]

-THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS a play by Sholeh Wolpé [29][30][31]

-LET ME IN, A play for high school and middle school, published and distributed by Theaterfolk [32]

-HOLY CORONA, a short play by Sholeh Wolpe, The Alternative Theater Company, 2020 [33]

-BROTHERS AT THE CANADIAN BORDER, a short play by Sholeh Wolpe, Town Street Theater, 11th Ten Minute Play Festival, April 4-26, 2020, Stella Adler Theater, Los Angeles [34]

-“And Here I am, A Lonely Woman.” Composed by Huba de Graaf. For their music theater production The Netherlands. Text, Wolpe/Farrokhzad Tour: Jan 24 – May 31, 2022 [35][36]

-Language of Loss. Composed by Aida Shirazi. Lyrics, Sholeh Wolpé Commissioned by Scripps College for RISE festival, April 2021 [37]

-Journey to Now-Ruz. 50 min. Video. Script, creative content and translations, Sholeh Wolpé; Music and tar performance, Sahba Motallebi. Commissioned by the University of Toronto March 26, 2021 [38]

-The Window, Composed by Niloufar Nourbakhsh. Lyrics: Translation of Forugh Farrokhzad poem by Sholeh Wolpé, Refugee Orchestra Project, 2020 [39]

-We the Innumerable, Composed by Niloufar Nourbakhsh, award Opera America Discovery grant, 2020. The work includes Sholeh Wolpé ’s translations of Forugh Farrokhzad [40]

-The Wind Will Blow Us Away, composed by Sahba Aminikia.[41]

-Paradise, for a cappella choir, composed by Shawn Crouch for poems by Brian Turner, and by Hafez, selected, reinterpreted and translated by Sholeh Wolpé. Volti, Innova Recordings, St. Paul, MN, 2015.[42]

-Effervescence, original lyrics by Sholeh Wolpé for Grammy nominated San Gabriel 7’s third jazz album, Lost My Heart, February 2012.[43][44]

-From Green To Green, poem by Sohrab Sepehri, selected and translated by Sholeh Wolpé for album: A Window To Color, Mamak Khadem. Album release date, July 2011.[45]


Biography

Sholeh Wolpé was born in 1962 in Tehran, Iran[1] where she lived until age 13. She was then sent to Trinidad to live with her aunt and grandmother. She was later sent to a boarding school in Eastbourne, UK (Moira House School) where she completed her high school. She continued her higher education in the United States.[46][47][48][49] She lived in Washington DC, Virginia, Chicago, Redlands, and Los Angeles. In 2018 Wolpé became the inaugural Writer-In-Residence at UCLA. [50] Presently she lives with her husband, sociologist Edward Telles,[51] in Barcelona and Irvine where she is the Writer-In-Residence at University of California, Irvine.[52][53][54]

Awards and Fellowships

-PEN Award for Poetry in Translations, long list, 2026 [55]

-S&P Best Spiritual Book Award, 2026 [56]

-Opera American Discovery Grant, 2025 [57]

-O'Brien Distinguished Visiting Professor, Scripps College, 2022

-“Cultural Trailblazer,” City of LA, Department of Cultural Affairs 2020 [58]

-Inaugural Writer-in-Residence, UCLA 2018

-International Poetry Translation Fellowship, Spain 2015

-PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grant 2014 [59]

-Midwest Book Award 2013 [60]

-Lois Roth Persian Translation Award 2010 [61]

Artists Embassy International, “Peace through the Arts” award, 2005

The National League of American Pen Women award, 2003

Houston Poetry Fest, Juried Poet Award, 2003


References

  1. ^ a b c "Sholeh Wolpé, Irán, 1962. Poemas bilingües" (in Spanish). 2016-07-30. Retrieved 2021-04-25.
  2. ^ Poetry Foundation, Sholeh Wolpe Archived September 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ https://www.humanities.uci.edu/complit/lecturers-visitors
  4. ^ "Sholeh Wolpé". Poetry Foundation. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  5. ^ https://lithub.com/in-a-12th-century-iranian-poem-a-vision-of-solidarity-we-need-today/
  6. ^ http://farrokhzadpoems.com/
  7. ^ https://www.simorgh-aiis.org/prizes.html
  8. ^ https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-invisible-sun-attarsholeh-wolpe?variant=43466089627682
  9. ^ https://commapress.co.uk/books/iran100
  10. ^ https://www.visor-libros.com/products/abaco-de-la-perdida
  11. ^ https://www.uapress.com/product/abacus-of-loss/
  12. ^ https://wwnorton.com/books/The-Conference-of-the-Birds/
  13. ^ https://www.olifante.com/publicaciones/c%C3%B3mo-escribir-una-canci%C3%B3n-de-amor
  14. ^ https://www.uapress.com/product/keeping-time-with-blue-hyacinths/
  15. ^ https://www.uapress.com/product/breaking-the-jaws-of-silence/
  16. ^ https://msupress.org/9781611860344/the-forbidden/
  17. ^ https://whitmanweb.iwp.uiowa.edu/song-myself/resources#accordion-item-916-8
  18. ^ https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA240488439&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=10739696&sw=w&p=AONE&userGroupName=anon%7E22ee98d0&aty=open-web-entry
  19. ^ https://wordswithwriters.com/2011/10/31/sholeh-wolpe/
  20. ^ https://redhen.org/book/rooftops-of-tehran/
  21. ^ https://www.uapress.com/product/sin/
  22. ^ https://redhen.org/book/the-scar-saloon/
  23. ^ https://www.operaamerica.org/get-involved/about-us/press-room/2025/discovery-grants-awards-100-000-to-eight-women-composers/
  24. ^ https://brooklynartsongsociety.org/new-voices-festival-longing-i/
  25. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO2FhOaE_xA
  26. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q6byq1GF2A&t=3s
  27. ^ https://www.saunderchoi.com/project/song-of-exile/
  28. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10vQyDCXjsM
  29. ^ https://infernotheatre.org/conference-of-the-birds
  30. ^ https://www.kqed.org/arts/13846229/the-conference-of-the-birds-fails-to-soar-in-oakland
  31. ^ https://www.alamedamagazine.com/ubuntu-and-inferno-collaborate-on-a-famous-sufi-fable/
  32. ^ https://www.theatrefolk.com/products/let-me-in
  33. ^ https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/The-Alternative-Theater-Company-Announces-The-Cast-Of-BelieveAbility-Reading-20200618
  34. ^ https://www.townestreetla.org/11thplayfestival
  35. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuKeNjthl1U
  36. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_su741lzSQ
  37. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10vQyDCXjsM
  38. ^ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?app=desktop&list=PL-0Ng30iLeKZbQzPwbHAXLE9oiI28j3Qb
  39. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watchv=kK6VtKCygVI&feature=youtu.be
  40. ^ https://niloufarnourbakhsh.com/listen/opera/
  41. ^ https://sahbakia.squarespace.com/projects/the-wind-will-blow-us-away-2016
  42. ^ https://www.voltisf.org/blog/paradise-iv-lullaby
  43. ^ https://www.sgsjazz.com/bio-s
  44. ^ https://www.sgsjazz.com/product-page/ingrid-james-lost-my-heart-cd
  45. ^ https://www.mamak-khadem.com/a-window-to-color
  46. ^ "Interview With Writer Sholeh Wolpé". Words With Writers. 2011-10-31. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  47. ^ "Interview With Sholeh Wolpé (January 2005)". Susan Chenelle. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  48. ^ ""We Carry Home within Us": A Conversation with Laleh Khadivi & Sholeh Wolpé, by Persis Karim". World Literature Today. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  49. ^ BrookdaleTV (2017-08-08), Visiting Writers Series Interview with Sholeh Wolpé, retrieved 2024-05-21
  50. ^ thisisloyal.com, Loyal Design | hello@thisisloyal com |. "Sholeh Wolpé, UCLA's inaugural writer in residence, retains author's intent when translating poetry - Department of English UCLA". UCLA English. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  51. ^ Observer, Culver City. "The Broad Stage at Home - Red Hen Press Poetry Hour - July 16". Culver City Observer. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  52. ^ "Lecturers & Visitors". www.humanities.uci.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  53. ^ "Comp Lit Writer-in-Residence, Sholeh Wolpe, released a new video "Abacus Of Loss: A Memoir in Verse"". www.humanities.uci.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  54. ^ "uci social sciences". www.socsci.uci.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  55. ^ https://bookshop.org/lists/2026-pen-award-for-poetry-in-translation-longlist
  56. ^ https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews/view/29735/the-invisible-sun
  57. ^ https://www.operaamerica.org/get-involved/about-us/press-room/2025/discovery-grants-awards-100-000-to-eight-women-composers/
  58. ^ https://culture.lacity.gov/programs-and-initiatives/dca-cultural-trailblazers-2025
  59. ^ https://translationista.com/2014/08/2014-penheim-translation-fund-grants-announced
  60. ^ https://www.bibliovault.org/BV.book.epl?ISBN=9781611860344
  61. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y7caKhRnhU

Wolpe's literary translations have garnered several prestigious awards and established her as a celebrated re-creator of Persian poetry.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]



  1. ^ "Sholeh Wolpe". The Lois Roth Endowment. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
  2. ^ "PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grant Recipients - PEN America". pen.org. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 2018-09-18.
  3. ^ Walch, Louis (2017-04-05). "Can Literature Save the World? On Translating Attar's "The Conference of the Birds"". Words Without Borders. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  4. ^ Walch, Louis (2016-06-07). "The Translator Relay: Sholeh Wolpé". Words Without Borders. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  5. ^ Walch, Louis (2018-08-22). "Women Translating the Classics: An Interview with Emily Wilson, Sholeh Wolpé, and Arshia Sattar". Words Without Borders. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  6. ^ Walch, Louis (2019-01-22). "2018 at WWB: 11 Groundbreaking Works". Words Without Borders. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  7. ^ "Attar, the Sufi Poet and Master of Rumi, by Sholeh Wolpé". World Literature Today. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  8. ^ "The Long Journey Home | Perspectives". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  9. ^ McCombs, Theodore (2017-10-05). "Sholeh Wolpé: If I Do Not Translate, It's A Sin". Guernica. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
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