Meet Mahdi Meshkatee - dipity Community Spotlight Q&A Interview no. 22
learn more about writer and artist Mahdi Meshkatee's work through dipity's global interview monthly spotlight feature
Introduction
Mahdi Meshkatee is a UK-born, Iranian poet, author, and artist who has struggled with deciphering the human condition for as long as he can remember. His poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art has appeared or is forthcoming in Ink in Thirds, GAS, October Hill Magazine, Nude Bruce Review, Inscape, Disjointed, and elsewhere. He loves lasagna, Arsenal, and the smell of wet soil in autumn. In his dreams, people are kind to one another and aren't afraid to hold a discussion.
Blood Loss
“Without a cement of blood, no secular wall will safely stand.” ~ W.H. Auden
War is peace intensified. But peace is better than war. Most of the time. Anadrome. Raw emotions spurt out of the blood-drenched grounds. Tears are as rare as shot bullets and wailing sounds. Cataclysm (n.) a momentous and violent event marked by overwhelming upheaval and demolition. Over bears a multiplicity of meanings: long-awaited peace, quietude of death, beginning of a new chapter. Genocide. Brethren of each other we all are—not in a creationist sense—doesn’t matter male or female. Never shouldn’t merely be said, but implemented. Seismic disaster isn’t too far from your borders. Borders... Borders... Borders... Withdraw your troops before it is too late. Forget about the wrong side of history, but humanity matters. Wisdom conquers not always. Maybe rarely. Perhaps seldom. Surrender to the voice in your heart that simply says: we are the people, we are the same. Someday, somewhere, someone, please listen.
Cari Cari - No War
Q: What is the backstory of this short story?
One of the things I love most about the process of creation, is the chance to horse around and experiment with whatever tools are at hand. When I read Auden’s heavy quote, I knew I wanted to do something with it, and it turned out I wanted to dissect it; not to necessarily delve into the meaning of the sentence per se, as it has been exhausted already, but to churn timely meanings that would otherwise have stayed dormant and lurking under the shadows of the obvious connotation. So I used the first letter of each word to start the lines, all of which deal with the kernel of the statement made by Auden. In the poem itself there are allusions to George Orwell’s All Art Is Propaganda, The calamitous political climate of the Middle East, and the wars currently in motion.
Q: What was your most recent publication?
An artwork titled “Multiplicity into the Depths of the Universe,” published by Carolina Muse Literary & Arts Magazine (Volume 4 Issue No. 3).
Q: Where can others find more of your work?
I share weekly on my Substack called “Perhaps Yesterday” here: https://mahdimeshkatee.substack.com/
Q: What else do you do outside of the writing community? or What else are you working on or excited about in the future? Any fun hobbies?
I’m currently learning French, hence listening to a bunch of great French music and reading Camus and La Rochefoucauld in their original language, which is a blast! Apart from that, I love reading vastly and try not to enclose myself to a certain genre, hopping from prose poem to creative nonfiction to thrillers to philosophy. Socializing and hanging out with friends is also a non-negotiable, albeit in small morsels.
Q: When did you begin writing? OR What or who sparked and inspired your writing journey?
As a child, I was fortunate enough to learn reading early on and also be brought up bilingually. Even before starting elementary school, I could count numbers and read stories, which of course contributed to a lifelong journey of literature being an inseparable part of my life. My first attempts at writing were inspired by the fantasy books I read back then, like R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps, Emily Rodda’s Deltora Quest series, Darren O'Shaughnessy’s The Saga of Darren Shan, and what began as unstructured imitation gradually matured and found a voice of its own. I still consider the books I read as a child to be monumental to my growth as a writer, and apart from the ones already named, I’d like to mention Harry Potter, of course, and Anthony Horowitz’s horror stories.
Q: What advice would you give aspiring poets, authors, or fellow writers in the community?
There is wisdom in the cliché: Have fun with it! You may look at literary figures from a distance and want to imitate their image, while what you’re more fundamentally doing is reducing yourself to an image without substance. Trust in your conceptualization of the world and immerse yourself in life.
Q: What are you currently reading?
Apart from Camus and La Rochefoucauld, I’m reading David Brook’s How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, which I find quite fascinating in its comprehensiveness and empathy for the reader. I’ve been following Mr. Brooks for a while now and adore the transparency of his nonfiction.
Q: What was the last movie or TV show you watched or recommend others see in the community?
Identity (2003), directed by James Mangold, was a recent watch that profoundly surprised me. Although it is a psychological thriller, I found myself emotionally engaged and even teared up at a scene. A TV show I would surely recommend everyone watch is The Couples Therapy; what an important and informative series.
Q: What are some of your fave Substacks?
I currently enjoy reading the following Substacks:
pages in shots by Yasha
yearning escapee by monet
frankly, my dear by Janu
Q: If you were stuck on the moon with anyone or could pick your space flight partner who would it be?
Although naming a celebrity or historic figure is the convention here, I would go with the ones I love, because without them life would be utterly unbearable. The company of the beloved trumps any interesting conversation I could have with an admired hero of mine. I should say that conversing with Albert Camus and David Lynch would be intriguing.
Q: What's one of your favorite poems in existence?
“The Mower” by Philip Larkin.
Zaho de Sagazan - "La symphonie des eclairs"
To Check Out More of Mahdi Meshkatee’s Work
Circle back to some of his work mentioned and linked throughout this Q&A.
Please Def Follow:
@mahdimeshkatee
on Instagram
Perhaps Yesterday
on Substack: https://mahdimeshkatee.substack.com
Connect on [LinkedIn Here]
Any other thoughts, comments, or shares after reading the interview?
[Interview Processed By VFORROW]
Thank you so much, Mahdi Meshkatee, for sharing and submitting to Dipity Lit Mag! ~ Jazz Marie Kaur (Vevna Forrow).
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It's my pleasure to have contributed to Dipity. Thank you for publishing my work.