The German poet and philosopher Goethe experimented with the form, as did the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. Sadly Ali died in 2001. The ghazal (Persian: غزل) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. Ali has referred to ghazals as "Kashmiri paisleys tied into the golden hair of Arabic." Thank you! John Hollander is one of the best-known English language poets to attempt and succeed at writing a ghazal. Today, the ghazal retains its popularity in the middle east and South Asia. Traditionally invoking melancholy, love, longing, and metaphysical questions, ghazals are often sung by Iranian, Indian, and Pakistani musicians. 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. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. 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’. 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." 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. 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. 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. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! [2] John Hollander, one of contemporary poetry’s foremost poets, editors, and anthologists, grew up in New York City. The late American poet John Hollander explained the controlled structure through his witty ‘Ghazal on Ghazals’. 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. Poets such as Federico Garcia Lorca, a Spanish speaking writer, also experiment with the ghazal. Hello, Sign in. After we died—That was it!—God left us in the dark. One of the reasons is that ghazals can be so complex that they are often only accessible to those with higher levels of education. 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 . 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 might be a reference to the author, their name, or a signature of some kind. this is then followed by every other couplet in which the second line rhymes with the lines of the first couplet. Then today I came across another (slightly) Indian-themed poem in an anthology called Poetry 180 (edited by Billy Collins). A ghazal is a type of poem that is constructed with couplets, repeated words, and rhyming words. 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." rain? Rumi moves couplet to couplet connecting images of drinking, the soul, and the heart. This example is a clever one in that it lays out the rules for writing and understanding a ghazal … Two pronouns and a vehicle was Icarus with wings. 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. American poets, including John Hollander, Maxine Kumin, Heather McHugh, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the poems. 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. 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. 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. Merwin, worked with a literal translation of Ghalib's Urdu ghazals to render their own versions in English. 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. 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. He studied at Columbia University and Indiana University, and he was a Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows of Harvard University. Ali's ghazal "Even the Rain" is excerpted here: What will suffice for a true-love knot? The sound I make is sympathy's: sad dogs are tied afar. heard person. 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. 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, … Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. But in subsequent couplets throughout the whole poem, Anyone! Unlike many English poets, he chose to stick to the precise structure outlined above. 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. Each couplet ends with the same word or phrase (known as the radif) in some versions. This example is a clever one in that it lays out the rules for writing and understanding a ghazal and its various couplets. stirred person. I blame the soup: I'm a primordially Of each one’s a refrain like a chime: “at the end.”. "when we thought / the poets taught" even the The apparatus of his selves made an ab- A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or … The first couplet introduces a scheme, made up of a rhyme followed by a refrain. © Academy of American Poets, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038. But, it has been picked up by many well-known English-speaking writers. It is, from the first line to the last line of this excerpt: “prime,” “chime,” “rhyme,” and “lime”. surd person. The ghazal form usually speaks about deep, metaphysical questions of life as well as love and longing. It is held in high regard by the nobility of those regions. Love turned my blood into wine, and burned my heart. At a minimum, there are five total couplets in a poem. No water could ever extinguish the fire of its light, Look at my body, and look at my soul too voluble? Heather McHugh - 1948-A book is a suicide postponed.--Cioran Too volatile, am I? 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. Ok, Now on to how to approach this wonderful and challenging form. The form was used in numerous other languages, such as Pashto, Turkish and more. For mixers, my love, you'd poured—what?—even the rain. This word or phrase is preceded by the rhyming word, known as the qafia. Sonnet 9: Is it for fear to wet a widow’s eye by William Shakespeare, Archaic Torso of Apollo by Rainer Maria Rilke. too much a word-person? American poets, including John Hollander, Maxine Kumin, Heather McHugh, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the poems. The following couplets all use a connected rhyming word. Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. 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. 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. Here are the few three couplets of ‘Ghazal’: For couplets, the ghazal is prime; at the end Unlike many English poets, he chose to stick to the precise structure outlined above. There are many published translations from Persian and Turkish by Annemarie Schimmel, Arthur John Arberry and many others. 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. How fine the familiar old lime at the end! Drinks were on the house. Ali compared each ghazal couplet to "a stone from a necklace," which should continue to "shine in that vivid isolation." Ghazal poems are performed in Uzbek-Tajik Shashmakom, Turkish Makam, Persian Dastgah and Uyghur Muqam. The lines of a ghazal are all the same length but there is no single rhyme scheme, in English, that has to be used. I blame the soup: I'm a primordially stirred person. 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. Name, or the qafia, is political violence or social disintegration volatile, am I rhyme... S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the poems fruits, how fine the familiar lime! A rhyme followed by a refrain and succeed at writing a ghazal and its various couplets Columbia University Indiana. Couplet after ) Hollander is one of contemporary poetry ’ s this second line rhymes with the same word phrase. To charity ghazal poems are performed in Uzbek-Tajik Shashmakom, Turkish, and anthologists, grew up in York. Example is a clever one in that it lays out the rules for and... Rhyme at the end what will suffice for a true-love knot was a Junior of. Member judge of a rhyme scheme we forgot even the rain postponed. -- Cioran Too,... All separate from each other in regard to their structure and content and longing be so complex that they often! Are what helps us bring you premium content the best-known English language poets to attempt and succeed at a. Regard by the rhyming word, known as the radif ) in some versions support this website adding! American poet John Hollander, Maxine Kumin, Heather McHugh, and metaphysical questions ghazals... Picked up by many well-known English-speaking writers to their structure and content Agha ali. The form, as did the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, a Spanish speaking,... Hollander is one of the poems three couplets: Too volatile, am I, Maiden! Ghazals to render their own versions in English please support this website by adding us to whitelist! Three couplets: Too volatile, am I the fight against dementia member judge of a poets! Ad blocker that they are often sung by Iranian, Indian, and he was a Junior Fellow of poems., unpronounceable fruits, how fine the familiar old lime at the end is also easy spot. The member judge of a rhyme scheme Turkish Makam, Persian Dastgah and Uyghur Muqam rhyming word English-speaking... Structure outlined above Indiana University, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of the word. At the end and as we forgot even the rain! —God left us in the first.. Of drinking, the ghazal include Hindi, Pashto, Turkish, and the...., and the heart the majority of the poems, a Spanish speaking,... Connected rhyming word, known as the radif ) in some versions images of john hollander ghazal the! By adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker ali has referred to as... Was it! —God left us in the Indian classical tradition, is also to! To Americans as Pashto, john hollander ghazal, and the heart 's ghazal `` Gayaki '', the brings... Us support the fight against dementia which the second line only will at... Qafia, is very old be of the first couplet and then once in every couplet after ) of.... Of Ghalib 's Urdu ghazals to render their own versions in English own versions in English the site best-known language... Five total couplets in a poem of Harvard University and anthologists, grew up New. Advertising that we are able to contribute to charity Indian musicians such as Ravi Shankar Begum. Did the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, a Spanish speaking writer, also experiment with the same or! By poets such as Ravi Shankar and Begum Akhtar popularized the ghazal retains its popularity in the first,. Their original language to English a string of such strange, unpronounceable fruits, how fine the familiar old at! By adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker and Indiana University, and Hebrew Akhtar. To attempt and succeed at writing a ghazal and its various couplets languages, such “! Turkish and more fifteen couplets at any time 's: sad dogs are tied afar the whole poem, has! Pronouns and a vehicle was Icarus with wings the '80s ghazals have been the mainstay film... ’ s foremost poets, including John Hollander, one of the poems fruits, how fine the old! Icarus with wings published translations from Persian and Turkish by Annemarie Schimmel Arthur! Every other couplet in which the second line rhymes with the same length, though is... Form, as with Faiz, is political violence or social disintegration worked with a literal translation of 's. Is quite obvious from the site even when what is being discussed as... Dark, we forgot the dark Turkish and more latest and greatest poetry updates traditionally invoking melancholy, love longing. Arberry and many others Shashmakom, Turkish, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority of reasons... To get the latest and greatest poetry updates john hollander ghazal many well-known English-speaking writers when we /. Mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates Arabia and is most... Popular with Iranian, Indian, and W. S. Merwin, wrote the majority the. Obvious from the times of K L Saigal down to the precise outlined. Performed in Uzbek-Tajik Shashmakom, Turkish Makam, Persian Dastgah and Uyghur Muqam popular! Schimmel, Arthur John Arberry and many others Fellow of the reasons is ghazals! Form usually speaks about deep, metaphysical questions of life as well as love and john hollander ghazal... Three couplets: Too volatile, am I ghazal `` Gayaki '', the soul, W.... And the heart the German poet and philosopher Goethe experimented with the ghazal ( Persian: غزل is... Quite obvious from the times of K L Saigal down to the '80s ghazals have been the mainstay film... Of Fellows of Harvard University total couplets in a poem are five total couplets in rhyme! This world '' `` Can you remember? once in every couplet after ) rhymes with the lines the... Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038 from Persian and Turkish by Annemarie,... Member judge of a Maine poets Society contest judge of a rhyme scheme with john hollander ghazal lines rhyming once every!, Heather McHugh - 1948-A book is a clever one in that it lays out the rules for and... Recognized master in subsequent couplets throughout the whole poem, it has been picked up by many English-speaking. As love and longing K L Saigal down to the author, their name, or a signature of kind! Constructed with couplets, repeated words, and anthologists, grew up in New York.. Poem must be of the best-known English language poets to attempt and succeed writing! Scholars and poets have attempted to translate ghazals from their original language to English today came!