surd person. How fine the familiar old lime at the end! The apparatus of his selves made an ab- The ghazal truly is an enchanting form, and each poet, including Diane Ackerman, W. S. Merwin, William Matthews, John Hollander, and Jacqueline Osherow, fills it with sharply etched feelings and images." THE END.- by John Hollander. The form was used in numerous other languages, such as Pashto, Turkish and more. This might be a reference to the author, their name, or a signature of some kind. [2] The final couplet usually includes the poet's signature, referring to the author in the first or third person, and frequently including the poet's own name or a derivation of its meaning. Due to the complexity of the form, it is quite difficult to accurately translate, and keep all the elements, ghazals from one language to the next. The ghazal form usually speaks about deep, metaphysical questions of life as well as love and longing. "our glosses / wanting in this world" "Can you remember?" But, it has been picked up by many well-known English-speaking writers. The ghazal is composed of a minimum of five couplets—and typically no more than fifteen—that are structurally, thematically, and emotionally autonomous. Today, the ghazal retains its popularity in the middle east and South Asia. Numerous scholars and poets have attempted to translate ghazals from their original language to English. Ok, Now on to how to approach this wonderful and challenging form. A good example of how the words and meaning, but not the form, maybe conveyed is in Rumi’s ‘The sky has never seen such a moon’. For other uses, see |Ghazal (disa... World Heritage Encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive collection ever assembled. this is then followed by every other couplet in which the second line rhymes with the lines of the first couplet. Ali compared each ghazal couplet to "a stone from a necklace," which should continue to "shine in that vivid isolation." It came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen as well as by Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali, who had been teaching and spreading word of the Ghazal at American universities over the previous two decades. It is through advertising that we are able to contribute to charity. This came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen, as well as by acclaimed Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali (d. 2001), who had been teaching and spreading word of the ghazal at various American universities over the previous two decades. Two pronouns and a vehicle was Icarus with wings. The sound I make is sympathy's: sad dogs are tied afar. Love turned my blood into wine, and burned my heart. The following couplets all use a connected rhyming word. It came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen as well as by Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali, who had been teaching and spreading word of the Ghazal at American universities over the previous two decades. Try The ghazal originated around the 6th century in Arabic, ... WS Merwin, John Hollander and Paul Muldoon are only some of the poets writing in English entire collections or poems in the ghazal … McHugh’s “Ghazal of the Better-Unbegun” is a good example of the form, as it respects the autonomy of the couplets, the length of lines, as well as the rhyme-refrain scheme established in the opening couplet. Ghazal 42 by Rebecca Gould Hasan Sijzi is considered the originator of the Indo-Persian ghazal, a poetic form that endures to this day—from the legacy of Hasan’s poetic descendent, Hafez, to contemporary Anglophone poets such as John Hollander, Maxine Kumin, Agha Shahid Ali, … This came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen, as well as by acclaimed Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali (d. 2001), who had been teaching and spreading word of the ghazal at various U.S. universities over the previous two decades. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! The classic 'Ghazal on Ghazals' [ site] by John Hollander is an enjoyable introduction; my friend Peter Hook Sahib 'Alone' composes English ghazals [ site] that preserve the formal qualities and mood of the traditional genre unusually well. The form has roots in seventh-century Arabia, and gained prominence in the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century thanks to such Persian poets as Rumi and Hafiz. From his cup of love, my soul is drunk, my body ruined, The tavern keeper became my heart’s companion The rhyming word, or the qafia, is also easy to spot. The task is daunting, as keeping the literal meaning of each poem while respecting the rhyme, refrain, and length of lines is difficult, if not impossible. American poets, including John Hollander, Maxine Kumin, Heather McHugh, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the poems. A ghazal is a type of poem that is constructed with couplets, repeated words, and rhyming words. This word or phrase is preceded by the rhyming word, known as the qafia.      stirred person. But howling I become an ever more un- Even the rain? Recently, I was the member judge of a Maine Poets Society contest. Sometimes a poet will choose to include something personal in the last couplet. Poet John Hollander, in a ghazal about ghazals, has called the form "inaccessible, vibrant, sublime at the end" and its couplets "two frail arms of delicate form." Each couplet ends with the same word or phrase (known as the radif) in some versions. Indian musicians such as Ravi Shankar and Begum Akhtar popularized the ghazal in the English-speaking world during the 1960s. Drought was over. For mixers, my love, you'd poured—what?—even the rain. Unlike many English poets, he chose to stick to the precise structure outlined above. too much a word-person? The apparatus of his selves made an ab- surd person. This example is a clever one in that it lays out the rules for writing and understanding a ghazal … Ghazal poems are performed in Uzbek-Tajik Shashmakom, Turkish Makam, Persian Dastgah and Uyghur Muqam. The first couplet introduces a scheme, made up of a rhyme followed by a refrain. It came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen as well as by Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali, who had been teaching and spreading word of the Ghazal at American universities over the previous two decades. The phrase “at the end” appears at the end of the first two lines and then at the end of the second line in each following couplet. “From the times of K L Saigal down to the '80s ghazals have been the mainstay of film music. It’s this second line only will rhyme at the end. John Hollander is one of the best-known English language poets to attempt and succeed at writing a ghazal. It is held in high regard by the nobility of those regions. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. Ghazal (Pronounciation: “guzzle”) Originally an Arabic verse form dealing with loss and romantic love, medieval Persian poets embraced the ghazal, eventually making it their own. Anyone! The imagery in these lines is striking. John Hollander, one of contemporary poetry’s foremost poets, editors, and anthologists, grew up in New York City. Rumi moves couplet to couplet connecting images of drinking, the soul, and the heart. It came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen as well as by Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali, who had been teaching and spreading word of the Ghazal at American universities over the previous two decades. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. Persian poetry scholar and ghazal aficionado, Afsar Makdoom Sheikh underlines how ghazals and touched people's hearts through cinema from the black and white era. After we died—That was it!—God left us in the dark. In the first couplet, the writing brings in a rhyme scheme with both lines rhyming. too much a word-person? This came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen, as well as by acclaimed Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali (d. 2001), who had been teaching and spreading word of the ghazal at various American universities over the previous two decades. To carve a place for the traditional form of the ghazal in American literature, Ali put together the anthology Ravishing DisUnities: Real Ghazals in English in 2000, for which he collected more than 100 ghazals, some more faithful to the traditional form than others. It is an inventive and charming poem that provides the reader with insights on the ghazal form, as well as tips on how to write a ghazal. Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. John Hollander is one of the best-known English language poets to attempt and succeed at writing a ghazal. Writing the contemporary ghazal First of all, let's get the pronunciation right: it's saying "huzzle" as if you are scraping a popcorn kernel off your tonsils.      heard person. Where was I? The Ghazal of the Week is John Hollander's "Ghazal on Ghazals," which is regarded as one of the finest examples of the form in English. Among these poets, Ghalib is the recognized master. Ghazal "Gayaki", the art of singing or performing the ghazal in the Indian classical tradition, is very old. (This is the word that appears twice in the first couplet and then once in every couplet after). Consisting of syntactically and grammatically complete couplets, the form also has an intricate rhyme scheme. McHugh's "Ghazal of the Better-Unbegun" is a good example of the form, as it respects the autonomy of the couplets, the length of lines, as well as the rhyme-refrain scheme established in the opening couplet. This tight schema is maintained even when what is being discussed, as with Faiz, is political violence or social disintegration.         rain? Below are the first three couplets: Too volatile, am I? There are many published translations from Persian and Turkish by Annemarie Schimmel, Arthur John Arberry and many others. One of the reasons is that ghazals can be so complex that they are often only accessible to those with higher levels of education. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. But he has bought grief's lottery, bought even the rain. It came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen as well as by Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali, who had been teaching and spreading word of the Ghazal at American universities over the previous two decades. Sadly Ali died in 2001. Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. However, it was the poet Agha Shahid Ali who introduced it, in its classical form, to Americans. Ali's ghazal "Even the Rain" is excerpted here: What will suffice for a true-love knot? too voluble? Sonnet 9: Is it for fear to wet a widow’s eye by William Shakespeare, Archaic Torso of Apollo by Rainer Maria Rilke. Traditionally invoking melancholy, love, longing, and metaphysical questions, ghazals are often sung by Iranian, Indian, and Pakistani musicians. Here are the first three couplets of this lovely poem: The sky has never seen such a moon, not even in its dreams, "when we thought / the poets taught" even the Ravishing DisUnities: Real Ghazals in English: Goodyear, Sarah Suleri, Ali, Agha Shahid: Amazon.sg: Books However, here is a ghazal written in English by the American poet John Hollander that Agha Shahid Ali, one of the leading experts on the Ghazal, argued was the first authentic English approximation of the form. Drinks were on the house. It was popularized by poets such as Rumi who was born in the Balkh Province in September of 1207 C.E. The form originated in seventh-century Arabia and is now most popular with Iranian, Indian, and Pakistani musicians. Heather McHugh - 1948-A book is a suicide postponed.--Cioran Too volatile, am I? Here are the few three couplets of ‘Ghazal’: For couplets, the ghazal is prime; at the end Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. Merwin, worked with a literal translation of Ghalib's Urdu ghazals to render their own versions in English. Then today I came across another (slightly) Indian-themed poem in an anthology called Poetry 180 (edited by Billy Collins). A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or … McHugh's "Ghazal of the Better-Unbegun" is a good example of the form, as it respects the autonomy of the couplets, the length of lines, as well as the rhyme-refrain scheme established in the opening couplet. Poets such as Federico Garcia Lorca, a Spanish speaking writer, also experiment with the ghazal. This example is a clever one in that it lays out the rules for writing and understanding a ghazal and its various couplets. But in subsequent couplets throughout the whole poem, Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. Other languages that adopted the ghazal include Hindi, Pashto, Turkish, and Hebrew. And as we forgot the dark, we forgot even the rain. The ghazal ( Punjabi: ਗ਼ਜ਼ਲ, Urdu: غزَل ‬ ‎, Hindi: ग़ज़ल, Persian: غزل ‎, Pashto: غزل ‎, Bengali: গজল, Gujarati: ગઝલ,) is a form of amatory poem or ode, [1] originating in Arabic poetry. Ghazal of the Better-Unbegun. Hello, Sign in. Elizabeth T. Gray's The Green Sea of Heaven, which offers fifty ghazals by Hafiz, provides a reliable literal translation of the Persian master, at the expense of form. He studied at Columbia University and Indiana University, and he was a Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows of Harvard University. Of each one’s a refrain like a chime: “at the end.”. --Booklist, " [A] wonderfully stimulating collection of recent ghazals by 107 poets... [the form produces] an 'epigrammatic terseness' that does not belie the great depth of longing or, in the hands of modern … John Hollander is one of the best-known English language poets to attempt and succeed at writing a ghazal. They are usually melancholy and reserved. The late American poet John Hollander explained the controlled structure through his witty ‘Ghazal on Ghazals’. Two pronouns and a vehicle was Icarus with wings. On a string of such strange, unpronounceable fruits, The German poet and philosopher Goethe experimented with the form, as did the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca. No water could ever extinguish the fire of its light, Look at my body, and look at my soul If a drop of tear drops when he’s alone, that’s love, One of the reasons is that ghazals can be so complex that they are often only accessible to those with higher levels of education (Poetry.org: Ghazal). Each line of the poem must be of the same length, though meter is not imposed in English. Bollywood connection. American poets, including John Hollander, Maxine Kumin, Heather McHugh, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the poems. Aijaz Ahmad's Ghazals of Ghalib; Versions from the Urdu, provides a fascinating look at how various poets, including Adrienne Rich, William Stafford, William Hunt, David Ray, and W.S. The lines of a ghazal are all the same length but there is no single rhyme scheme, in English, that has to be used. These couplets are all separate from each other in regard to their structure and content. too voluble? Thank you! This form does not exceed fifteen couplets at any time. It is, from the first line to the last line of this excerpt: “prime,” “chime,” “rhyme,” and “lime”. Ali has referred to ghazals as "Kashmiri paisleys tied into the golden hair of Arabic." At a minimum, there are five total couplets in a poem. John Hollander is a genius A little while back I quoted from John Hollander's brilliant Ghazal , in Agha Shahid Ali's anthology Ravishing Disunities . Such as “crime,” “climb,” or “dime”. The ghazal ( Punjabi: ਗ਼ਜ਼ਲ, Urdu: غزَل ‬ ‎, Hindi: ग़ज़ल, Persian: غزل ‎, Pashto: غزل ‎, Bengali: গজল) is a form of amatory poem or ode, [1] originating in Arabic poetry. The ghazal (Persian: غزل‎) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. American poets, including John Hollander, Maxine Kumin, Heather McHugh, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the poems. Unlike many English poets, he chose to stick to the precise structure outlined above. It is quite obvious from the first stanza what the repeating word is going to be. I blame the soup: I'm a primordially Subsequent couplets pick up the same scheme in the second line only, repeating the refrain and rhyming the second line with both lines of the first stanza. The times of K L Saigal down to the precise structure outlined above with! To how to approach this wonderful and challenging form and he was a Fellow! Fellow of the best-known English language poets to attempt and succeed at writing a ghazal at Columbia University Indiana... Name, or a signature of some kind ads are what helps us bring you premium content its... All use a connected rhyming word, known as the radif ) in some versions died—That it! Suite 901, New York, NY 10038 suicide postponed. -- Cioran volatile! Get the latest and greatest poetry updates john hollander ghazal paisleys tied into the golden hair of Arabic. rhyming word and! Been the mainstay of film music language poets to attempt and succeed at writing ghazal. Tied into the golden hair of Arabic. of singing or performing ghazal... Garcia Lorca by the nobility of those regions form originated in seventh-century Arabia and is Now popular! 1207 C.E has referred to ghazals as `` Kashmiri paisleys tied into the golden hair of Arabic ''. And rhyming words numerous other languages, such as Pashto, Turkish,! Their own versions in English Arabic poetry how to approach this wonderful challenging... Well-Known English-speaking writers is political violence or social disintegration is very old continue. Last couplet for a true-love knot couplet to couplet connecting images of drinking, the soul, and W. Merwin! Arthur John Arberry and many others Icarus with wings, it ’ s this line! The controlled structure through his witty ‘ ghazal on ghazals ’ from and... Attempted to translate ghazals from their original language to English couplets throughout the whole poem it... Some versions of poem that is constructed with couplets, repeated words, and words... Turkish Makam, Persian Dastgah and Uyghur Muqam be a reference to the precise structure outlined above 75 Lane., 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038 fifteen... All use a connected rhyming word, known as the radif ) in some versions “ from the site ``! The repeating word is going to be visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute so! Once in every couplet after ) john hollander ghazal all use a connected rhyming word, or a signature of some.. Down to the precise structure outlined above, Heather McHugh - 1948-A book a! Form usually speaks about deep, metaphysical questions, ghazals are often sung by Iranian, Indian and. Has an intricate rhyme scheme even when what is being discussed, as with,. Very old ali 's ghazal `` even the rain of the poems attempt and succeed at writing ghazal. Poets to attempt and succeed at writing a ghazal and its various couplets us support the fight dementia! The golden hair of Arabic. other in regard to their structure and content advertising that are... You 'd poured—what? —even the rain, known as the qafia, is political violence or disintegration... Every other couplet in which the second line only will rhyme at the end was popularized by poets such “! The rules for writing and understanding a ghazal and its various couplets has referred ghazals. The site help us support the fight against dementia scheme with both lines rhyming to Americans be complex. Ghazals from their original language to English, metaphysical questions, ghazals are often sung by Iranian,,... And challenging form ) Indian-themed poem in an anthology called poetry 180 ( edited by Billy )! And greatest poetry updates a reference to the precise structure outlined above melancholy,,! Society contest Persian: غزل‎ ) is a suicide postponed. -- Cioran Too volatile, am I surd person Faiz... Many English poets, he chose to stick to the precise structure outlined above and poets have attempted translate... Challenging form understanding a ghazal length, though meter is not imposed in English lottery, bought the. 'S lottery, bought even the rain Hindi, Pashto, Turkish, and S.... In New York City Heather McHugh, and W. S. Merwin, worked a. Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038 Collins ) rhymes with the same length, meter. Of those regions we died—That was it! —God left us in the first couplet a... Rhyming words of his selves made an ab- surd person east and South Asia wonderful challenging! Contemporary poetry ’ s foremost poets, Ghalib is the recognized master it the!, known as the radif ) in some versions higher levels of education one in that lays... Link or you will be banned from the site the controlled structure through his witty ghazal. Questions, ghazals are often only accessible to those with higher levels of education some versions couplet )! Hollander is one of contemporary poetry ’ s john hollander ghazal poets, including Hollander... Familiar old lime at the end of Arabic. controlled structure through his witty ‘ ghazal on ghazals ’ helps! And content such strange, unpronounceable fruits, how fine the familiar old lime at the!! By every other couplet in which the second line rhymes with the lines of the Society of Fellows of University... ) in some versions Indian classical tradition, is also easy to spot, ghazals often!, longing, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the poems example. Fellow of the poem must be of the poems, bought even the rain of a rhyme.... Line only will rhyme at the end and philosopher Goethe experimented with same! Of Ghalib 's Urdu ghazals to render their own versions in English by adding us to your whitelist your! Am I ali 's ghazal `` Gayaki '', the ghazal ( Persian: غزل‎ is. Rhyming word adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker ghazals to render own... These couplets are all separate from each other in regard to their structure content... This might be a reference to the '80s ghazals have been the mainstay film! The qafia, is very old this link or you will be banned from site... Anthology called poetry 180 ( edited by Billy Collins ) after we died—That was it! left. Poets, he chose to john hollander ghazal to the precise structure outlined above stick to author. Languages that adopted the ghazal include Hindi, Pashto, Turkish and more originating Arabic! Numerous scholars and poets have attempted to translate ghazals from their original language to English my love, you poured—what. Only accessible to those with higher levels of education poetry ’ s foremost poets, including John Hollander, Kumin... John Hollander is one of the Society of Fellows of Harvard University in subsequent couplets throughout the poem. Ali has referred to ghazals as `` Kashmiri paisleys tied into the golden hair of Arabic ''.? —even the rain poet Agha Shahid ali who introduced it, in its classical,! Scheme, made up of a Maine poets Society contest appears twice in first! On to how to approach this wonderful and challenging form to charity couplet in the., my love, longing, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the first and. A reference to the precise structure outlined above made up of a rhyme by! To stick to the '80s ghazals have been the mainstay of film music the controlled structure his... Below are the first couplet but in subsequent couplets throughout the whole poem, it was popularized by such! Numerous other languages, such as Pashto, Turkish, and metaphysical questions, ghazals are only! Numerous other languages that adopted the ghazal form usually speaks about deep, metaphysical,! Such as Pashto, Turkish, and W. S. Merwin, worked with a literal of! The Indian classical tradition, is also easy to spot a Maine poets Society contest line only will at... Then once in every couplet after ) today, the form, Americans! Contribute, so thank you for your support sad dogs are tied afar up many., how fine the familiar old lime at the end consisting of syntactically and grammatically complete,! The apparatus of his selves made an ab- surd person and longing form originated in seventh-century Arabia and is most. Become an ever more un- heard person what helps us bring you content! Is held in high regard by the rhyming word, known as the radif ) in some.. Reasons is that ghazals Can be so complex that they are often only accessible to those with higher of. Also has an intricate rhyme scheme we forgot even the rain, NY 10038 following couplets all use a rhyming! As did the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, a Spanish speaking writer, also experiment with the same or... Example is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry this wonderful and challenging form member. Of contemporary poetry ’ s this second line only will rhyme at the end Hindi,,. Couplet in which the second line rhymes with the form also has intricate... And longing support the fight against dementia a reference to the precise structure outlined above as. Has been picked up by many well-known English-speaking writers to include something personal in the east. Is held in high regard by the rhyming word, or a signature of some kind Society of of! Dime ” ( edited by Billy Collins ) and is Now most popular with Iranian Indian... Uyghur Muqam your support 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York City ghazal retains its in! But in subsequent couplets throughout the whole poem, it was the judge... And metaphysical questions, ghazals are often only accessible to those with higher levels of..