Iranian Poets   Shafii Kad Cani Mohammad Reza Shafii is one of the best poets and scholars alive. He is a researcher, a translator, a teacher, an intellectual and an editor. He was born in the village of Kad Cani near Torbat-eJam, Khorassan Province, in 1939. After finishing high school in Mashad he studied Persian literature in Mashad University. He further studied theology and philosophy. Then he received his masters and Ph.D. from Tehran University. He is currently a Literature professor lecturing in the same university in Tehran. He commenced his poetry by composing lyrics in his book "Whispers" that was published in 1965. He demonstrates his eloquence and skill in composition of classic style poems in this book. But he later changed from classic to "Free Verse". Following Nima's style, he is now composing social poems in new epic style. His books, "Shab-Khani" and "A Leaf Speaks" are samples of the latter style, where he has preserved his fine and delicate spirit. A true nature-lover, he finds allegory nad passion in rain which to him is the symbol of cleanness and light. According to Kad Cani, night, is making love to the clear water. As if nature has commingled with him resulting in utterance of poems, the love for nature is obvious in all his work, and to him nature is full of allegory.     Another book published in 1971, "Neishabour Kucheh-Bagh" (Garden Path) introduces him as an intellectual, creative, social and capable poet, while demonstrating his effort to walk on the path of new epical style. He worked on his last book, "Booy-e jooy-e Mulian" (or "The Smell of Mulian Stream"), while staying in the U.S.A. It took him two years to compose those poems. As introduction to his other book, "To Be, To Compose" he lauds and pays his respect to the famous Spanish poet, Fedrico Garcia Loreca, as he finds him in harmony with himself. Here the reader finds silence, darkness and loneliness. As if impressed by some gloomy circumstances his tone of complaint and despair is obvious throught this collection of poetry. He is disappointed at the social conditions. He is expecting the storm of events and disasters to destroy the dormant exhausted walls. Here he approaches symbolic poetry. He finds poetry flowing within himself.     He describes his own feelings and his own poetic mood. Then expressing his regret and disappointment he notes: "Allas! We do not appreciate our moments. We fail to realize the true value of our precious time. During the moments when we are awake we take our time and our life for granted and do not take full advantage of our time. Instead, we hide ourselves behind the walls of fear. He further expresses his disappointment at man's ignoring his commitment toward humanity. "We fail to shoulder our responsibility to this end". Another book of his includes "As a Tree In a Rainy Night". He has translated "Sandbad's Songs" into Farsi. As is fluent in both Arabic and english he has numerous articles and translated some books from Arabic and English into Farsi. The said articles have appeared in "Sokhan", "Jahan-e Noe" and "Book Guide" magazines. Kad Cani's poetry consist of allegory. His words are attractive and eloquent. As he certainly has the potential to create artistic masterpieces in literature, the literary societies are eagerly looking forward to reading his prospective books. He has compiled or edited some books. The outcome of his research were published in the form of two books, "Music of Poetry" and "Allegory in Persian Poetry". He is also the author of an adaptation of one of the great masterpieces that is now under print.