1
Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Kharazmi University.
2
Faculty of literature and humanities, department of persian literature, kharazmi university
10.30465/copl.2026.51601.4269
Abstract
Long narrative poems in contemporary Persian poetry represent one of the most distinct yet underexplored manifestations of modern literature, often overlooked by critics and readers alike. This study seeks to revisit and redefine the concept of the manzumeh (Long Narrative Poem) in contemporary literary discourse. Through a descriptive-analytical methodology, the present paper reviews previous definitions and investigates a more suitable approach in order to conceptualize this classical form in a modern context. Drawing on Ludwig Wittgenstein’s theory of “family resemblance,” the research moves away from rigid, essentialist definitions and instead proposes a flexible framework to understand the defining features of long narrative poems in the contemporary era. These features—which form an interconnected network allowing for the identification of such works—include thematic unity, spatial continuity, temporal continuity, a central character, narrative presence, and scene construction. In the final section, a table of prominent examples of contemporary long narrative poems is provided, which explains the defining features of each poem. In addition to offering a systematic definition of the long narrative poem, the present article has, to the best of its ability, introduced several examples from contemporary Persian poetry in order to create, for the first time, a reliable reference for researchers and enthusiasts in this field.
Mousavi,S A A , Khoeini ghezelgeh,E and Abbasi,H A . (2026). A Definition and Introduction of Long Narrative Poems in Contemporary Persian Poetry. (e14002). Contemporary Persian Literature, 16(1), e14002 doi: 10.30465/copl.2026.51601.4269
MLA
Mousavi,S A A , , Khoeini ghezelgeh,E , and Abbasi,H A . "A Definition and Introduction of Long Narrative Poems in Contemporary Persian Poetry" .e14002 , Contemporary Persian Literature, 16, 1, 2026, e14002. doi: 10.30465/copl.2026.51601.4269
HARVARD
Mousavi S A A, Khoeini ghezelgeh E, Abbasi H A. (2026). 'A Definition and Introduction of Long Narrative Poems in Contemporary Persian Poetry', Contemporary Persian Literature, 16(1), e14002. doi: 10.30465/copl.2026.51601.4269
CHICAGO
S A A Mousavi, E Khoeini ghezelgeh and H A Abbasi, "A Definition and Introduction of Long Narrative Poems in Contemporary Persian Poetry," Contemporary Persian Literature, 16 1 (2026): e14002, doi: 10.30465/copl.2026.51601.4269
VANCOUVER
Mousavi S A A, Khoeini ghezelgeh E, Abbasi H A. A Definition and Introduction of Long Narrative Poems in Contemporary Persian Poetry. Contemporary Persian Literature. 2026;16(1):e14002 (In Persian). doi: 10.30465/copl.2026.51601.4269
