Poetry by Hafiz

Hafiz has a way of opening my eyes more brightly toward Love, of coaxing me gently toward God, toward myself. He tickles me into remembering Truth. I share Hafiz with you in the hopes that you too feel inspired. Enjoy!

Here is a brief bio and description of Hafiz and his work, as written by Daniel Ladinsky in my favorite compilation of Hafiz's poetry, I Heard God Dancing - Renderings of Hafiz:

"Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafiz (c. 1320-1389), though little known in the Western world, is the most beloved poet of Persia (Iran). To Persians, the poems of Hafiz are not "classical literature" from a remote past, but cherished wisdom from a dear and intimate friend. The special gift of this friend is a poetry unique in world literature, a poetry that celebrates every expression of love in the universe.

"The lyrics of Hafiz overflow with a profound appreciation of the beauty and richness of life when seen through the eyes of love. With unerring insight, he explores the feelings and motives associated with every level of love, tracing each nuance of emotion in depth and detail. His poetry outlines the stages of the mystic's "path of love" -- that journey of inner unfolding in which love dissolves personal boundaries and limitations to join larger processes of growth and transformation. Through these processes, human love becomes divine love and the lover merges ultimately with the source and goal of all love, which Hafiz calls the Divine Beloved."