Iranian-born poet, Sholeh Wolpé weaves the wisdom and poetry of 12th century mystic, Attar, with the music of Jazz.

“Attar’s grand allegory for the journey of the soul as it seeks union with the divine has influenced countless artists, poets, mystics, and believers around the world. But never before has it been rendered in English with such beauty, elegance, and precision. Wolpé’s translation of this epic is sure to be as timeless as the masterpiece itself.” — Reza Aslan, author of Zealot

“In this beautiful rendering of Attar’s Conference of the Birds, Sholeh Wolpe, herself a passionate poet, transports us to another time, another language & another world, while reminding us of how enduring & universal great works of imagination are, how they create spaces within which we not only acknowledge and appreciate our differences but also recognize & celebrate our shared humanity. Only a true poet could achieve such a feat.” — Azar Nafisi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran

“In Sholeh Wolpé’s version, this sly, knowing Sufi classic will surprise and delight a new generation of readers.” — Jack Miles, general editor of The Norton Anthology of World Religions

“Wolpe’s poems are at once humorous, sad and sexy, which is to say that they are capriciously human, human even in that they dream of wings and are always threatening to take flight.”
—Tony Barnstone, poet, Whittier College