"Why Read Rumi in Times Like These": A Conversation with Haleh Liza Gafori

The John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis presents a lecture with Haleh Liza Gafori. Please join us for a public lecture with acclaimed translator, educator and performance artist, Haleh Liza Gafori as she presents “Rumi For Our Times”, a selection of poems by the 13th century mystic Rumi; revealing how urgently and tenderly the beloved sage speaks to us in these challenging times. No stranger to political turmoil and the ravages of the imperious ego, calling listeners toward an ethic of love, care and reverence. Alive with dazzling images, leaping progressions of thought, and astonishing rhythm and wordplay, Rumi’s poems are not only aesthetic masterpieces but are also spiritual and philosophical works, meant to illuminate and liberate, pointing us toward more harmonious ways of being. Event Schedule, September 24, 2026: 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm: Public event for all ticketed audience members in Knight Hall's Frick Forum with reception to follow Doors will open at 6 pm, and we encourage you to arrive early to allow time for parking and ticket checks at the door. Ticketing: Although this is a free event open to all, seats are limited and tickets will be required to attend the lecture and the reception immediately following. Emerson Auditorium accommodates general admission seating; your ticket does not designate a specific seat. Each attendee will need their own ticket in their name. If you have questions about tickets, please contact us at [email protected] or (314) 935-9345. Waitlist: When we have reached capacity for our venue, you will be able to join the waitlist. If more tickets become available, you will be informed via email. You will have to respond to those instructions within 24 hours to claim the tickets. Security: All attendees should be prepared for security measures, which may include bag checks. We encourage guests to leave large bags at home. Books: Books will be available for purchase before the lecture and at the reception to follow, provided by local independent bookseller Subterranean Books. More Information: Please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) below. About the Speaker and Hosts: Haleh Liza Gafori is a New York City-born translator, performance artist, writer and educator of Iranian descent. Her two volumes of translations of poetry by the 13th century sage Rumi, entitled Gold (2022) and Water (2025), were published by New York Review Books/NYRB Classics. Gafori was a 2026 and 2024 MacDowell fellow, and a 2023 recipient of the New York State Council on the Arts grant. She created a musical and cross-media performance based on the book and has presented her work, via performance and lectures and workshops, at institutions such as Lincoln Center, Stanford University, the Academy of American Poets, and Sarah Lawrence College. Her work has been published by Columbia University Press, Harvard Review, World Literature Today, Lit Hub, Paris Review, and others. She teaches at the MFA writing program at St. Joseph’s University, and her books of translations Gold and Water have been incorporated in the curricula of universities across the country. Abram Van Engen is the Stanley Elkin Professor in the Humanities at Washington University in St. Louis. He brings several teaching awards to his work on the Poetry for All podcast. Abram’s scholarly work, meanwhile, takes him to early America with books and articles on Puritanism and early New England, such as City on a Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism (winner of the Pelikan Prize and the Peter Gomes Memorial Book Award). From early American subjects, Abram’s teaching, speaking, and writing expand outward to multiple audiences with numerous publications in journals and magazines on poetry, religion, and literature. Such writings have led to his co-edited book with Mary Eyring, Anne Bradstreet Now: Modern Poets Respond and Word Made Fresh: An Invitation to Poetry for the Church, an illuminating and encouraging guide for anyone interested (and intimidated) by poetry.