Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 19، number In Volume 6، September 2026 ، issue Number 124

Representation of the worldview of contemporary poets in the metaphors of existence in Persian poetry (1370–1400)

Maryam Saki , Leila Hashemian (Author in Charge)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ontological metaphors are fundamental pillars of cognitive linguistics, enabling humans to represent abstract experiences and complex concepts through concrete, tangible entities. In literature, metaphors function not merely as aesthetic devices, but as cognitive tools reflecting the poet"s worldview and capacity to construct new realities. In contemporary Persian poetry, however, a deep rift exists between employing metaphors for meaning-making and using them as repetitive, conventional patterns. This study aims to investigate whether the metaphorical patterns employed in the works of four contemporary poets—Seyyed Ali Salehi, Akbar Exir, Abolfazl Pasha, and Shahram Mirzaei—have contributed to semantic richness or have instead fallen into the trap of stereotyping and cliché representations.

METHODOLOGY: Lakoff and Johnson’s conceptual metaphor framework and applying a descriptive-analytical method, this study examines ontological metaphors in the selected poetry collections published between 1991 and 2021 (1370 to 1400 AH)

FINDINGS: indicate that while the statistical distribution of metaphors varies among the four poets, a qualitative analysis reveals a dominant reductionist pattern. Specifically, the 38% predominance of objectification (reification) metaphors in Shahram Mirzaei"s poetry, coupled with a 73% dominance of personification metaphors in Akbar Exir"s work, demonstrates an over-reliance on simplification mechanisms. These results suggest that rather than pushing linguistic boundaries to represent the world, these poets have reverted to established, conventional formulas.

CONCLUSION: this study concludes that the ontological representation in these works leads to transient expressions rather than creating novel and enduring literary horizons. The lack of structural innovation in metaphors and the tendency toward familiar patterns serve as key factors preventing these poets from transitioning from fleeting literary trends to a lasting status in the history of contemporary Persian literature. These findings highlight the vital necessity of refining the quality of ontological metaphors to achieve genuine literary originality.

Keyword
Conceptual metaphor , existential metaphors , Cognitive linguistics , contemporary Persian poetry , Anthropomorphism , objectification , containerization