Words & Poems

As a product of multiculture, Mazandi's poems reflect influences from both East and West. Examples of Western poets include A E Housman with his seminal work "A Shropshire Lad' and from the East poets such as Jalal al-Din Rumi with his frequent references to the Divine.

'Supreme Unleaded Summer' refers to a time when Mazandi took an entire summer away from university to work on a construction site, be a night watchman and work at an Exxon gas station at weekends on Long Island, New York, whilst reading books on philosophy. There were no ready-made shirts with 'Shahriar' and the choice was limited to Bill, Bob, Chuck or Steve.

"And when I depart' concerns the journey of the soul and reincarnation. 'Pictures from a garden bonfire' recalls an experience that resulted in a stay at the specialist burns unit at Queen Victoria hospital in East Grinstead, West Sussex. 'The Garden of Illusions' accompanied a garden project concept after the Lalique Garden at the 2005 Chelsea Flow Show.