SELECTED GHAZALS OF HAFIZ (Large Print/Large Format Translation & Introduction Paul Smith. Hafiz of Shiraz in Persia (1320-1392) is the undisputed Master of the form of the ghazal, perhaps the oldest and most difficult and most beautiful and spiritual form of poetry that has ever existed. Although the poets of the ghazal 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 ghazal 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. Here are 340 of Hafiz’s ghazals in LARGE 16pt print. The spiritual and historical and human content is here in understandable, beautiful poetry: the difficult correct rhyme-structure is achieved, without intruding, in readable English. Introduction: Life story is told in greater detail than anywhere else; his poetry and the ghazal. Included are notes to most poems, glossary. Large Format Paperback 8 x 10 440 pages. Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and 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, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Mu'ir, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Mu'in and others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children’s books and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa