Persian Poetry Caravan

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue with Hafez Ghazal 14 — a deeply emotional poem about loneliness, distance, vulnerability, beauty, and the strange courage of following the heart. The ghazal begins with a plea: “Have mercy on this stranger.” But the beloved answers with a harder truth — the one who follows the heart may lose the road. From there, Hafez turns exile into image a...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue with Hafez Ghazal 13 — a vivid morning poem of dawn, dew, wine, beauty, freedom, and the sudden shock of a closed tavern door. Hafez begins beneath a canopy of cloud, with dew resting on the face of the tulip and a breeze from the meadow that feels as if it has travelled from paradise. The whole world seems ready for joy — and then the tavern...

Saadi’s counsel on just rule begins with a vivid image: the people are the roots, and the ruler is the tree. In this passage from the opening of Chapter One of the Bustan , Nushiravan speaks to his son Hormuz about justice, mercy, and the responsibility of power. Listen to an English poetic rendering of Saadi’s counsel, followed by a brief reflection on the poem’s central image and its call to pro...

Who was Saadi of Shiraz—and why do his words still travel across centuries? In this opening episode of the Saadi series, we meet the poet behind the Bustan (The Orchard) and the Golestan (The Rose Garden), look at his life and literary legacy, and acknowledge what remains uncertain in the historical record. Presented in clear English, this short introduction opens a new strand of Persian Poetry Ca...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue with Hafez Ghazal 12 — a poem of beauty, distance, longing, memory, devotion, and the ache of wanting to draw near. Hafez begins with an extravagant image: the moon itself seems to borrow its radiance from the beloved’s face. From there, the poem moves through the beloved’s intoxicating eyes, the morning breeze, the hope of reunion, tears, sac...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue with Hafez Ghazal 11 — a luminous poem about wine, beauty, remembrance, tears, spiritual freedom, and the power of a heart awakened by love. Hafez looks into the cup and sees the reflection of the Beloved. From that image comes one of his most enduring ideas: the one whose heart has been made alive by love does not truly die. The ghazal moves...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue with Hafez Ghazal 10 — a poem of spiritual reversal, bewilderment, longing, and the dangerous freedom of love. Hafez begins with a startling image: the master leaves the mosque and comes toward the tavern. The disciples are left asking what plan remains for them now. Should they turn toward the formal direction of prayer, or toward the directi...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue with Hafez Ghazal 9 — a poem of spring, beauty, humility, mortality, freedom, and the danger of religious hypocrisy. The ghazal opens with the garden becoming young again: the rose returns, the nightingale receives glad news, and the morning breeze carries devotion through the meadow. But Hafez does not give us spring only as decoration. Behin...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue with Hafez Ghazal 8 — a poem of wine, sorrow, pride, longing, and the patient courage of the heart. Hafez turns to the cupbearer and asks for a cup strong enough to stand against the sorrow of passing days. But in Hafez, the cup is never only wine. It becomes a mirror, a medicine, and a quiet rebellion against false devotion, empty reputation,...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue with Hafez Ghazal 7 — a poem about the cup, the hidden secret, the passing feast of life, and the wisdom of those who live beyond respectable appearances. Hafez speaks to the Sufi and invites him not to a sermon, but to a mirror-like cup. In this ghazal, the deepest truth is not found in spiritual pride, but in humility, present joy, and the m...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue our journey through Hafez with Ghazal 6 — a poem of longing, humility, beauty, and mercy. Hafez speaks as a beggar before a king, as a lover before the beloved, and as a soul waiting to be seen. The poem moves between prayer, desire, danger, tenderness, and hope, asking one unforgettable question: what is the use of beauty if it refuses mercy?...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue our journey through Hafez with Ghazal 5. This poem begins with a cry from the heart. Hafez speaks of love, secrecy, longing, helplessness, and the moment when hidden pain can no longer stay hidden. The poem moves through images of the slipping heart, the broken ship, the favourable wind, the familiar beloved, and the secret that is almost reve...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue our journey through Hafez with Ghazal 4. This poem begins with a message carried by the morning breeze to the graceful beloved. Hafez speaks of longing, beauty, kindness, distance, and the pain of a lover who feels forgotten. The poem moves through images of the gazelle, the rose, the nightingale, the parrot, sugar, and the wind. It asks why b...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue our journey through Hafez, also known as Hafiz, with Ghazal 3 in simple, emotional English. This famous Persian poem speaks of love, beauty, longing, wine, music, and the restless heart. Hafez gives everything for one glance from the beloved, then reminds us that true beauty does not need decoration or praise. A calm poetic translation and ref...

In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we continue our journey through Hafez, also known as Hafiz, with Ghazal 2 in simple, emotional English. This Persian poem asks a deep question: Where is wisdom, and where am I? Hafez places 2 worlds beside each other. The monastery and the tavern. The sermon and the music. The dead lamp and the sun. In this episode, we hear a poetic English translation fo...

"Love seemed easy at first then the difficulties came." Six hundred years ago in Shiraz, Hafez opened his Divan with this confession, and it has been consoling lovers ever since. In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we begin our journey through Hafez, also known as Hafiz, with the first ghazal of his Divan, read in clear, modern English. This famous Persian poem begins with love ap...

Welcome to Persian Poetry Caravan, a calm journey into the world of Persian poetry, love, longing, and timeless wisdom. In this first episode, we introduce Hafez, also known as Hafiz, one of the most beloved poets of Persia. Born in Shiraz in the 14th century, Hafez became a voice of the heart, writing about love, beauty, wine, the beloved, the tavern, spiritual freedom, and the mystery of the sou...