Classic Poetry of Azerbaijan: An Anthology

~CLASSIC POETRY OF AZERBAIJAN~~An Anthology~Translation & Introduction Paul SmithHere is one of the few anthologies in English of the greatest poets of Azerbaijan in the classic period, from the 11th to the 17th century. All the poems translated here in the forms of the ghazal, masnavi, ruba’i, qit’a and qasida have been kept to the correct rhyme and meaning. The poets are… Qatran, Mahsati, Mujir, Khaqani, Nizami, Shabistari, Humam, Kadi Buran-ud-din, Nasim Anwar, Nesimi, Khata’i, Fuzuli and Sa’ib. There is an Introduction on Various Forms in the Classical Poetry of Azerbaijan and biographies and further reading options on all of these always engrossing and powerful, beautiful, mysterious, often romantic and spiritual and often Sufi poets. Included is the female poet Mahsati, one of the greatest poets of the east and Nizami, one of the greatest poets of all time. 231 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 from English into Persian, 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 is a poet, author and translator of over 150 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, Mu’in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Makhfi, Mansur Hallaj, Majnun, Khaqani, Iqbal, Nazir Akbarabadi, Shabastari, Baba Farid and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children’s books and more than a dozen screenplays. Read more