Shams al-Din Mohammad Hafez is in love. He is in love with a girl, with a city, and with Persian poetry. Despite his enmity with the new and dangerous city leader, the jealousy of his fellow court poets, and the competition for his beloved, Iran’s favorite poet remains unbothered. When his wit and charm are not enough to keep him safe in Shiraz, his friends conspire to keep him out of trouble. But their schemes are unsuccessful. Nothing will chase Hafez from this city of wine and roses. In Pezeshkzad’s fictional account, Hafez’s life in fourteenth-century Shiraz is a mix of peril and humor. Set in a city that is at once beautiful and cutthroat, the novel includes a cast of historical figures to illuminate this elusive poet of the Persian literary tradition. Shabani-Jadidi and Higgins’s translation brings the beloved poetry of Hafez alive for an English audience and reacquaints readers with the comic wit and original storytelling of Pezeshkzad.

A rich collection that brings the great Sufi poet Hafiz to Western readers, from bestselling poet Daniel Ladinsky Perhaps more than any other Persian poet, it is Hafiz who most fully accesses the mystical, healing dimensions of verse. Acclaimed poet Daniel Ladinsky has made it his life’s work to create modern, inspired renderings of the world’s most profound spiritual poetry. Through Ladinsky’s renderings, Hafiz’s voice comes alive across the centuries, singing his timeless message of love. With this stunning collection, Ladinsky has once again succeeded brilliantly in capturing the essence of one of Islam’s greatest poetic and spiritual voices. “Ladinsky is a master who will be remembered for finally bringing Hafiz alive in the West.” —Alexandra Marks, The Christian Science Monitor

The Persian Sufi poet Hafiz (1326–1390) is a towering figure in Islamic literature—and in spiritual attainment as well. Known for his profound mystical wisdom combined with a sublime sensuousness, Hafiz was the supreme master of a poetic form known as the ghazal (pronounced "guzzle"), an ode or song consisting of rhymed couplets celebrating divine love. In this selection of his poems, wine and the intoxication it brings are the image that expresses this love in all its joyful abandon, painful longing, bewilderment, and surrender. Through ninety-five free-verse renditions, we gain entry into the mystical world of Hafiz's Winehouse, with its happy minstrels, its bewitching Winebringer, and its companions in drunken longing whose hearts cry out, "More wine!" Thomas Rain Crowe brings a new dimension to our growing appreciation of Hafiz and his wise drunkard's advice to the seekers of God: In this world of illusion, take nothing other than this cup of wine; In this playhouse, don't play any games but love.

The romantic lyricism of the great Persian poet Hafiz (1315-1390) continues to be admired around the world. Recent exploration of that lyricism by Iranian scholars has revealed that, in addition to his masterful use of poetic devices, Hafiz's verse is deeply steeped in the philosophy and symbolism of Persian love mysticism. This innovative volume discusses the aesthetic theories and mystical philosophy of the classical Persian love-lyric (ghazal) as particularly exemplified by Hafiz (who, along with Rumi and Sa'di, is Persia's most celebrated poet). For the first time in western literature, Hafiz's rhetoric of romance is situated within the broader context of what scholars refer to as 'Love Theory' in Arabic and Persian poetry in particular and Islamic literature more generally. Contributors from both the West and Iran conduct a major investigation of the love lyrics of Hafiz and of what they signified to that high culture and civilization which was devoted to the School of Love in medieval Persia. The volume will have strong appeal to scholars of the Middle East, medieval Islamic literature, and the history and culture of Iran.

Chosen by author Elizabeth Gilbert as one of her ten favorite books, Daniel Ladinsky’s extraordinary renderings of 250 unforgettable lyrical poems by Hafiz, one of the greatest Sufi poets of all time More than any other Persian poet—even Rumi—Hafiz expanded the mystical, healing dimensions of poetry. Because his poems were often ecstatic love songs from God to his beloved world, many have called Hafiz the “Invisible Tongue.” Indeed, Daniel Ladinsky has said that his work with Hafiz is an attempt to do the impossible: to render Light into words—to make the Luminous Resonance of God tangible to our finite senses. I am a hole in a flute that the Christ's breath moves through— listen to this music! With this stunning collection of Hafiz’s most intimate poems, Ladinsky has succeeded brilliantly in presenting the essence of one of Islam’s greatest poetic and religious voices. Each line of The Gift imparts the wonderful qualities of this master Sufi poet and spiritual teacher: encouragement, an audacious love that touches lives, profound knowledge, generosity, and a sweet, playful genius unparalleled in world literature.

Daniel Ladinsky’s stunning interpretations of 365 soul-nurturing poems—one for each day of the year—by treasured Persian lyric poet Hafiz The poems of Hafiz are masterpieces of sacred poetry that nurture the heart, soul, and mind. With learned insight and a delicate hand, Daniel Ladinsky explores the many emotions addressed in these verses. His renderings, presented here in 365 poignant poems—including a section based on the interpretations of Hafiz by Ralph Waldo Emerson—capture the compelling wisdom of one of the most revered Sufi poets. Intimate and often spiritual, these poems are beautifully sensuous, playful, wacky, and profound, and provide guidance for everyday life, as well as deep wisdom to savor through a lifetime.

Professor Pirooz, a Iranian-American who is despairing of his life and the state of today's world, flies from New York to Phoenix, wanders into the desert at night, and hopes to die. As he pours his heart out to nobody, two cactus plants engage him in conversation. They are the reincarnations of the great Persian poets Hafez and Rumi. They not only try to dissuade him from his plan, but urge him to return to New York, where they appear again to offer their support: Hafez as a 30-something taxi driver and Rumi in a variety of forms. Along the way we learn a great deal about both historical and contemporary Persia (Iran) and about love, as Hafez falls in love with a precocious 14-year-old he takes on as a fare. This playful and illuminating novel-in-verse not only brings these two great Persian poets to life, but also serves as a wonderful introduction to their work. Manoucher Parvin's imaginative love story--part contemporary fairy-tale, part mythology--not only touches the heart, but critically reflects contemporary mores, morals, philosophy, and society.

A most unusual novel is Manoucher Parvin’s Dardedel: Rumi, Hafez, and Lovein New York. For starters, it’s written in free verse. For another, it contrasts the world of thirteenth and fourteenth century Persia with that of present day New York, by bringing back to life the famed Persian poets Rumi and Hafez, who reincarnate themselves to help a suicidal Persian-American professor. It provides a double love story (is not Hafez still considered today to be one of the ablest poets of love?) and also touches on the nature of things (which is one of the reasons Rumi is still widely read throughout the world).

An exploration of the Persian poet’s spiritual philosophy, with original translations of his poetry • Features extensive insight into the meanings and contexts of the poetry and philosophies of this spiritual teacher • Includes over 30 complete poems by Haféz, including “The Wild Deer,” often regarded as his masterpiece For 600 years the Persian poet Haféz has been read, recited, quoted, and loved by millions of people in his homeland and throughout the world. Like his predecessor Rumi, he is a spiritual guide in our search for life’s essence. Haféz is both a mystic philosopher and a heartfelt poet of desires and fears. Haféz: Teachings of the Philosopher of Love is the perfect introduction to the man known as the philosopher of love, whose message of spiritual transcendence through rapture and service to others is especially important to our troubled world. His wisdom speaks directly to the cutting edge of philosophy, psychology, social theory, and education and can serve as a bridge of understanding between the West and the Middle East, two cultures in desperate need of mutual empathy.