In Iran, you will often find words of poetry and prayer printed in somewhat surprising places. On the back of a headrest of intercity bus seats there will a declaration of “Ya Abolfazl!” in bubble letters. On a plastic bag from a purchase at a drug store you will find verses from the medieval poet Hafez. And printed on the side of a women’s coat (manteau) you will find flowing calligraphic verses that may or may not be legible to the layperson. The printed word, and most frequently poetic language, is a ubiquitous presence, especially in regards to material culture. While much attention has been paid to the presence of revolutionary slogans and Iran-Iraq war murals in the public sphere, there has been less work done on the production and circulation of poetry on objects and surfaces in the social arena. This paper will hence examine the written word as a form of material and visual culture in Iran, with an emphasis on the presence of works from the Persian medieval canon. Given that Iranians hold poetry in such high regard—a source of national pride that people of all political persuasions can agree on—does the appearance of the poetic verse on prosaic items like plastic bags and candy wrappers undercut the gravitas and cultural capital of the esteemed literature, or merely re-imagine its significance in a different way? Can be ubiquity and mass production be seen as signs of affection and respect, rather than promoting a cheapening and desensitizing to the object in question? And how, if at all, does the circulation of printed poetry compare to the semiotics of other common symbols such as the Iranian flag or advertisements? To address this inquiry, I will draw from interviews with graphic designers who produce such materials, inquiring into their own decision processes as well as the desires of their clients. In addition to discussing the general use of poetry on prosaic objects, we also discuss stylistics choices such as the use of calligraphy versus Farsi words in the Roman alphabet preferred? Finally, I will also draw from histories of print culture and advertising, media studies, and visual cultural studies to ground my analysis in a broad range of debates.