Ghazal

The ghazal is a Persian form whose popularity may have peaked over a thousand years ago, yet it remains popular today. There are a few aspects of the form that are in all (or at least most) modern ghazals. Ghazals talk about love and wine and do so in (usually) five or at least an uneven number of couplets. The last word of the second line is the same in all of the couplets. In the final couplet, the poets “signs their name” or makes reference to their name or their identity somehow. The form is so old though that many variations have sprung up.

Poets from Rumi and Hafiz to Goethe and Bly have been writing or translating ghazals. In translation some of the “rules” stated above are less than evident, if at all. An excellent resource, with greater depth than I’ve given here is Ghazal – Poetry Forms (poetscollective.org). The modern champion of the ghazal has been Aga Shahid Ali especially in his book Rooms Are Never Finished.  (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. , 2002) More at this link: Ghazal by Agha Shahid Ali | Poetry Foundation

From Rumi:

The sky has never seen such a moon, not even in its dreams,
No water could ever extinguish the fire of its light,

Look at my body, and look at my soul
From his cup of love, my soul is drunk, my body ruined

The tavern keeper became my heart’s companion
Love turned my blood into wine, and burned my heart

As my eyes fill with the image of his face, a voice resounds,
“Well done, cup. Excellent, wine.”

Looking into the ocean of love
My heart suddenly dove in, calling, “Find me!”

The face of the sun is Shams, the glory of Tabriz,
Our hearts, like clouds, trail after him.

another from Rumi:

If there’s no trace of love in his heart
Cover him like an angry cloud over the moon

Dry tree, don’t grow in that garden,
Poor thing, left without the shade of a tree

Even if you’re a pearl, don’t separate from this love,
Love is your father and your family

In the world of lovers, a deadly sickness strikes
Each day more painful than the last

If you see the blush of love in someone’s face
Know that he is no longer merely mortal

If you see a reed-flute, bent by love, grab it
Squeeze the reed until you taste the sweetest sugar

Shams of Tabriz lures you into his trap
Don’t look left or right, you can’t resist.

Here’s my own attempt. I used the word “word” as a placeholder while I was constructing the ghazal and ended up using it as the word at the end of each couplet. To say this is an attempt or a work in progress may be paying it a compliment. My name is in there, though. Do you see it?

The Word in Ghazal

The love we give out is heard in the word.

Our actions should be stored in our word.

Is the truth in all that we say?
Intent is blurred without true word.

The young and the old will love as they will

but always the heart is lured back to the word.

Rejoice in your wine or in your spirit

but love deeply what’s poured into your word.

Hear it from Lilee who is just a bit

leery of saying she’s bored by her word.