The subject of Spires's poem "Ghazal" is extremely personal and unlikely to be influenced by cultural or political events of the time it was written. Its title, however, is apparently disconnected from what the work is about, identifying only the structure and perhaps implying that such a subjective poem is better served with a simple and benign name. But the ghazal form of poetry itself embodies a long history in parts of the world largely unknown or misunderstood by many contemporary westerners. In recent years—during the period after Spires's mother's death in 1998 and the subsequent publication of her book based on it in 2002—the area where ghazals began has had a profound impact on events and people all across the globe.

Tension between Iran and the United States has been escalating over the past two decades, leading to the U.S. suspension of all trade...