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Hafiz, a secret Sufi, came to prominence in his day as a writer of love poems. That love transformed into an all-consuming passion for union with the divine. In The Gift, Daniel Ladinsky bestows on us the impassioned yet whimsical strains of Hafiz's ecstasy. Never forced or awkward, Ladinsky's Hafiz whispers in your ear and pounds in your chest, naming God in a hundred metaphors.
I once asked a bird,Like Fitzgerald's version of Khayyam's Rubaiyat, the language of The Gift strikes a contemporary chord, resonating in the reader's mind and then in the heart. Ladinsky's language is plain, fresh, playful--dancing with an expert cadence that invites and surprises. If it is true, as Hafiz says, that a poet is someone who can pour light into a cup, reading Ladinsky's Hafiz is like gulping down the sun. --Brian Bruya
"How is it that you fly in this gravity
Of darkness?"
She responded,
"Love lifts
Me."
From Booklist
Less well known in the U.S. than his Sufi predecessor, Rumi, Hafiz (Shams-ud-din Muhammad) is also worthy of attention, and Ladinsky's free translations should help see that he gets it. Hafiz is so beloved in Iran that he outsells the Koran. Many know his verses by heart and recite them with gusto. And gusto is appropriate to this passionate, earthy poet who melds mind, spirit, and body in each of his usually brief pensees. Ladinsky has deliberately chosen a loose and colloquial tone for this collection, which might grate on the nerves of purists but makes Hafiz come vividly alive for the average reader. "You carry / All the ingredients / To turn your life into a nightmare--/ Don't mix them!" he advises, and "Bottom line: / Do not stop playing / These beautiful / Love / Games." Nothing is too human for Hafiz to celebrate, for in humanity he finds the prospect of God. In everything from housework to lovemaking, he celebrates the spiritual possibilities of life. A fine and stirring new presentation of one of the world's great poets. Patricia Monaghan
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First Sentence
HAFIZ, whose given name was Shams-ud-din Muhammad (c. 1320-1389), is the most beloved poet of Persia. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
HAFIZ, whose given name was Shams-ud-din Muhammad (c. 1320-1389), is the most beloved poet of Persia. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timeless Insights,
By
This review is from: The Gift (Paperback)
The Gift is a timeless collection of the poetry of our great friend Hafiz. It is so full of metaphor and unexpected turns that each time you read it you will be inspired again. It is of no matter that this Persian poetry was written in the 1300's, at about the time of Chaucer, it is as accessible and relevant today as it was then. If you're looking for a book of poetry that will make you feel cherished and shed light on what it is to be a human being, then this is the book to read.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Look at the smile on the earth's lips...,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Gift (Paperback)
Hafiz says, "Look at the smile on the earth's lips this morning she laid again with me last night." Well, I can't see the earth's mouth but I do know that my own has been smiling more than usual especially when reading these poems/renderings that have a higher alcohol content that anything a store hawks.And speaking of alcohol: I don't think Amazon should hand any drunk monkey a microphone and let them smear this remarkable book out of ignorance or jealousy as some of these tight-pursed one star raters apparantly did. I recently saw a lovely Hafiz greeting card with this line that "God courts us with the beauty of this world." I could not recommend this book enough! Right on Hafiz.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Close but not perfect,
By
This review is from: The Gift (Paperback)
While I think that Ladinsky has done a commendable job translating much of the essence of these poems, it is clear that he wanted to "Christ" -ify the message. References to "God" and "Christ" or Jesus are probably not appropriate translations. While I do not doubt that Hafez probably reached a point where he transcended common distinctions between religions, he was a Muslim and there are issues about using "God" as a translation for Allah and references to Jesus as a diety run against the current of monotheism. There is no need to present the poems in a way that would make them seem Christian. Most Christians can appreciate them for what they are as songs to Allah. Just as anyone can appreciate the beauty of the Psalms or even Shakespeare's sonnets. Dont get me wrong, I do enjoy Ladinsky's work and it does persent Hafez in a an attractive accessible manner. I just feel that presenting them with the Christian slant is distracting where it needn't be. Certainly you should add this to your collection especially for the casual enjoyer. For serious access to Hafez, this should be supplemented with more serious works.
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