Sample performances of Sholeh Wolpe — Poetry, plays, opera, and translations

Forthcoming books from Harper Collins (Aug 2025) and Visor Libros (May 2025)

“Abacus of Loss is a remarkable achievement, an unforgettable text.”

— Kaveh Akbar

“One of 8+ Beautiful, Contemporary Novels Written in Verse That Make Poetry Accessible”

— Mary Sue Magazine

“One of 17 Poetry Collections to read during Women’s History Month”

— The Orion Journal

“Abacus of Loss examines the masks of patriarchy in powerful metaphor and narrative.”

— Linda Scheller, Colorado Review

Read more about Abacus of Loss

Metropolital Museum of Art Spotlights Sholeh Wolpé

SholehWolpe_photo by Sophie Kandaouroff_high res.jpg — Sholeh Wolpé, photo by Sophie Kandaouroff

Sholeh Wolpé is an Iranian-American poet, playwright, and librettist. Her literary work includes seven collections of poetry, several plays, five books of translations and three anthologies, as well as texts and librettos for the choir and opera.

Her most recent work include Abacus of Loss: A Memoir in Verse (University of Arkansas Press), The Invisible Sun – Attar (Harper Collins 2025), Abaco de Perdida (Visor Libros, España 2025), Song of Exile for choir and Nava Avaz, a full length opera for 6 composers (premiere 2026). Her translations of Iranian poetry, in particular 12th century Sufi mystic poet Attar, and 20th century Iranian rebel poet Forugh Farrokhzad have garnered awards and established Wolpé a as a celebrated re-creator of Persian poetry into English.

She is the recipient of Opera America Discovery Award as well as a PEN/Heim, Midwest Book Award, and the Lois Roth Translation Prize. She is the Writer-In-Residence at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and the poetry editor at The Markaz Review. She has lived in Iran, Trinidad, and United Kingdom and presently divides her time between California and Barcelona.