Ode to Abadan (2017) – SATB a cappella (7’30”)
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Ode to Abadan takes it inspiration from a poem by Persian poet Shahrzad Irani, written on her return to Abadan after many years away. Like my father, Shahrzad grew up in Abadan during its heyday as a booming oil hub; however, as the tensions with Iraq escalated, many fled, and when the war eventually did begin, Abadan became a complete ghost-town: no one dared lived in a city which directly bordered the conflict area. After the war, many expats from Abadan returned to assess the damages and try to rebuild. This process continues today and Abadan is still not fully back to what it once was.  My father recounted to me many times his experience returning to the wreckage that was once his hometown then: everything was totally leveled, the city was in shambles, his childhood home was reduced to rubble, and nearly everyone was gone–he wept. Shahrzad too had the same experience in her return to Abadan after the war, and in an attempt to recapture this time long past, penned this wistful ode as a memorial and celebration for a place and people she loves deeply–Abadan, a town full of lovers, liars, and Raybans.