About the Book
ANTHOLOGY OF THE GAZEL IN TURKISH SUFI POETRY Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The gazel (ghazal) is perhaps the oldest and most difficult and most beautiful and spiritual form of poetry that has ever existed. Although the poets of the gazel may appear to many as open-minded, drunken, outcast lovers, it does not necessarily mean that they all drank the juice of the grape... for it is an inner spiritual state that they often were expressing. The gazel is a conversation between the lover and the beloved and as in all intimate conversation... the talk flows both ways. The subject may not necessary be about love, but it is always from the point of view of one who loves truth, love and beauty. CONTENTS: The Turkish Language... Page 7, Turkish Poetry... 9, The Gazel in Turkish Sufi Poetry... 12, Glossary For Sufi & Dervish Turkish Poetry... 21 THE POETS... Ahmed Yesevi 27, Yunus Emre 31, Kadi Burhan-ud-din 75, Nesimi 83, Ahmedi 111, Sheykhi 117, Ahmed Pasha 121, Mihri 125, Zeyneb 133, Jem 135, Necati 141, Zati 149, Pir Sultan 155, Khayali 163, Fuzuli 175, Baqi 193, Huda'i 209, Nef'i 213, Yahya 219, Haleti 227, Na'ili 229, Niyazi 235, Nabi 241, Nedim 249, Fitnet 259, Galib 267, Esrar Dede 281, Leyla Khanim 285, Veysel 289. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" Pages 296 COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFEZ'S DIVAN"It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafez is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished.." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafez 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of English to Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafez." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages including Hafez, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in ud-din Chishti, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Hallaj, Rudaki, Yunus Emre Ghalib, Iqbal, Makhfi, Nazir and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, kids books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa
