In the landscape of contemporary American letters, few voices resonate with as much spiritual urgency and linguistic hunger as Kaveh Akbar. Born in Tehran, Iran, and raised in the United States, Akbar has emerged not just as a poet, but as a cartographer of the soul's most desolate and desperate territories. His work is a bridge between the ancient Persian traditions of Rumi and Hafiz and the gritty, neon-lit reality of modern recovery.
Akbar’s poetic style is characterized by what critics call a "controlled frenzy." He possesses a rare ability to weave the visceral details of addiction with the ethereal pursuit of God. His debut collection, "Calling a Wolf a Wolf," released in 2017, was a seismic event in the poetry world. It didn't just chronicle the struggle of alcoholism; it transformed the craving itself into a form of liturgy. In the title poem, he writes verbatim:
"I ran from the world until I was the world’s / edge. I was a seeker of the sort of life that is / a series of increasingly elaborate / excuses to stay alive."
This honesty has earned him a devoted following. Akbar doesn't look away from the "wolf" of desire. Instead, he invites it to the table to see what it has to say. His critical reception has been nothing short of stellar, earning him a Pushcart Prize, a Ruth Lilly Fellowship, and a place on the faculty of the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he currently directs the MFA program.
In his second full-length collection, "Pilgrim Bell," Akbar pivoted toward the silence of the divine. If his first book was a scream, "Pilgrim Bell" is the ringing that follows it. Here, he explores his relationship with Islam and the inherent limitations of the English language to describe the infinite. He innovates by using the "Pilgrim Bell" motif—short, sharp poems interspersed throughout the collection that act as a spiritual reset for the reader. From the poem "The Palace," he writes:
"I am a master of the double-jointed prayer, / one hand on the earth and the other reaching / for a god who is always just about to / turn his back."
Beyond the page, Akbar is a tireless advocate for the craft. He founded "Divedapper," an interview site that features deep-dive conversations with major poets, demonstrating his belief that poetry is a communal act rather than a solitary one. His recent foray into fiction with the novel "Martyr!"—which became a New York Times bestseller—proves that his obsession with "the beautiful struggle" transcends genre.
For those looking for an entry point into his work, I recommend starting with the poem "Learning to Pray."
It is a masterclass in how Akbar uses simple, domestic imagery to build toward a profound spiritual realization. It perfectly captures his unique ability to make the act of faith feel as tangible as a glass of water. It begins with the striking lines:
"I used to think / my heart was a sort of / muscle that did things / but now I think it’s more like / a bird I keep in a cage."
Kaveh Akbar’s life in poetry is one of radical vulnerability. From his early days of writing through the haze of addiction to his current status as a pillar of the literary establishment, he remains a poet who is perpetually "thirsty"—not for the substances that once controlled him, but for the truth that language, however flawed, allows us to glimpse.
Backgrounder Notes
As an expert researcher and library scientist, I have identified several key names, institutions, and concepts in the article that warrant further context to deepen a reader’s understanding of Kaveh Akbar’s literary and cultural significance.
Literary Traditions and Figures
Rumi and Hafiz These are the two most celebrated poets in the Persian literary canon, dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Their work is characterized by "ghazals" (lyrical poems) that explore the intersection of divine love, intoxication, and the search for spiritual truth, themes that Akbar frequently reimagines in a modern context.
Persian Poetic Tradition This refers to a rich, thousand-year-old history of verse that prioritizes metaphor, rhythmic musicality, and the "divan" (collected works). In the Iranian diaspora, this tradition often informs how contemporary poets navigate the complexities of identity, exile, and the sacred.
Awards and Institutions
Iowa Writers' Workshop Established in 1936 at the University of Iowa, this is the oldest and most prestigious creative writing program in the United States. Its influence on American letters is unparalleled, boasting a lineage of faculty and alumni that includes numerous Pulitzer Prize winners and U.S. Poet Laureates.
Pushcart Prize This is a highly respected American literary award that honors the best poetry, short fiction, and essays published by small, independent presses. It serves as a vital barometer for excellence in the "underground" or non-commercial literary world.
Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowship Awarded by the Poetry Foundation, this is one of the largest and most competitive grants available to young poets in the U.S. It is designed to provide early-career writers with the financial freedom to focus entirely on their craft.
Technical Concepts and Projects
Liturgy While traditionally referring to the prescribed rituals and formal arrangements of public religious worship, in a literary sense, it describes writing that adopts a prayer-like structure. Akbar uses this to elevate the "profane" struggles of addiction into a quest for spiritual redemption.
MFA (Master of Fine Arts) An MFA is a terminal graduate degree in a creative field, such as writing or visual arts, that focuses on the practice of the craft rather than academic theory. In the U.S. literary ecosystem, the MFA is often the primary gateway to teaching at the university level and securing major publishing deals.
Divedapper Founded by Akbar in 2014, this digital repository has become a significant scholarly resource for contemporary poetry. It features long-form, "deep-dive" interviews that move beyond promotional banter to explore the philosophical and technical underpinnings of a poet's work.
Pilgrim Bell (as a motif) In many religious traditions, a bell is used to mark the transition from the secular world to the sacred space of prayer. In Akbar's work, this motif functions as a "palimpsest" or a recurring structural device that forces the reader to pause, reset, and approach the text with renewed attention.
