Abu Nuwas: Selected Poems

Abu Nuwas: Selected Poems

ABU NUWAS: Selected Poems Translation & Introduction by Paul Smith Abu Nuwas (757-814) was the most famous and infamous poet who composed in Arabic of the Abbasid era. His style was extravagant and his compositions reflected the licentious manners of the upper classes of his day. His father was Arab and his mother was Persian. As a youth he was sold into slavery; a wealthy benefactor later set him free. By the time he reached manhood he had settled in Baghdad and was composing poetry. It was at this time, because of his long hair, he acquired the name Abu Nuwas (Father of Ringlets). Gradually he attracted the attention of Harun al-Rashid and was given quarters at court. His ability as a poet no doubt was one reason for Abu Nuwasâ€™ success with the caliph, but after a while he became known as a reprobate and participated in less reputable pastimes with the ruler. He spent time in Egypt but soon returned to Baghdad to live out his remaining years. It is said he lived the last part of his life as a Sufi and some of his poems reflect this. He is popular today, perhaps more so than he ever was, as a kind of comic anti-hero in many Muslim countries. His poems consist of qitâ€™as (of which he was the first master) ghazals and qasidas. His poems could be classified into: praises (of nobles and caliphs & famous people), mockeries, jokes, complaints, love of men and women, wine, hunting, laments, asceticism. All forms are here in the true meaning & rhyme structure. Introduction on his Life, Times & Poetry and forms he composed in and an appendix of some of the stories about him in the Arabian Nights. 154 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITHâ€™S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZâ€™S â€˜DIVANâ€™. â€œIt is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. â€ Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. â€œSuperb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith.â€ Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator works in English into Persian and knower of Hafizâ€™s Divan off by heart. Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languagesâ€¦ including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, â€˜Attar, Sanaâ€™i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Muâ€™in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Makhfi and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, childrenâ€™s books and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com
Country USA
Brand CREATESPACE
Manufacturer CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Binding Paperback
ItemPartNumber black & white illustrations
UnitCount 1
EANs 9781484078037
ReleaseDate 0000-00-00

Country	USA
Brand	CREATESPACE
Manufacturer	CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Binding	Paperback
ItemPartNumber	black & white illustrations
UnitCount	1
EANs	9781484078037
ReleaseDate	0000-00-00

Abu Nuwas: Selected Poems

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