~THE MASNAVI: A WORLD ANTHOLOGY~Translations, Introduction and Notes by Paul SmithThe masnavi is the poetic form used in Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Arabic and other languages to write epic ballads, romances and mystical stories and is essentially a Persian invention. Each couplet has a different rhyme with both lines rhyming. This is to allow the poet greater freedom to go into a longer description of the subject he has chosen to present. Introduction includes… Article on the masnavi in various languages. With each selection of a particular poet is a brief biography plus a list of further reading. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these long, powerful, often mystical poems. THE POETS… Abu Shakur, Rabi’a Balkhi, Daqiqi, Firdausi, Gurgani, Nasir-i-Khusraw, Asadi, Sana’i, Khaqani, Zahir, Nizami, ‘Attar, Rumi, Sadi, ‘Iraqi, Sultan Valad, Yunus Emre, Amir Khusraw, Auhadi, Khaju, Obeyd Zakani, Shahin, Hafiz, Ruh Attar, Chelebi, Kasim Anwar, Shah Ni’matu’llah, Shah Da’i, Jami, Fuzuli, Ghazali, Qudsi, Bedil, Mir, Ghalib, Tahirah, Iqbal, Inayat Khan, Parvin, Paul. 498 pages in the paperback.COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH’S VERSION 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. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all.” Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. “Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith.” Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz’s Divan off by heart.Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 80 books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages, including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, ‘Attar, Sana’i, Jahan, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and screenplays.