Hafiz in the Present

HAFIZ IN THE PRESENT: Ghazals of Hafiz and those by his translator Paul Smith. There is really no equivalent to the ghazal (pronounced guz'el) in English poetry. As a matter of fact, the ghazal is a unique form and its origin has been argued about for many centuries. Some say that the first was composed by Adam, the first poet and Perfect Master. Many ghazals Paul Smith has composed were inspired by his translation of the Divan of Hafiz. Hafiz of Shiraz (1320-1392) was the greatest exponent of this ancient form. In this book Paul Smith used the first couplets from his translations of the ghazals of Hafiz. These are often about Meher Baba, his Spiritual Master. Hafiz's poems and those of his translator with notes are here published for the first time together. Introduction: Life & Times & Poetry of Hafiz; Life, Times & Poetry of Paul Smith; Life, Times & Work & Poetry of Meher Baba; The Ghazal in World Poetry, The Greatest Poets of the Ghazal; Glossary. Correct form has been achieved in the translations & all poems inspired by them. Large Print (16pt) & Large Format ("8.5 x 11") 444 pages. Comments on Paul Smith's Translation of Hafiz's 'Divan'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of works into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author, translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Rahman Baba, Bulleh Shah, Ghalib, Iqbal, Abu Nuwas, Makhfi, Dara Shikoh, and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa