Bøger af Paul Smith

HEAVEN'S CHILDREN by Paul Smith is a classic love story, thriller and drama set in the underworld of poets, musicians and criminals in Oxford Street and Kings Cross in Sydney. It tells Riana Johnson, renowned for her dark beauty and independence; her notorious friend Larson, drug-dealer, poet and murderer and his ruthless gang headed by Fleming; O'Reilly the old drug pusher; Francis Lynburger, brilliant violinist and womanizer; Bannajee, corrupt big businessman bewitched by Riana; Fontaine and his Poetry Band and his son Rimbaud, dreamer and poet/singer in love with Riana and life; Trish, hopelessly in love with Rimbaud and her brother Charlie in love with heavy-metal, drugs and death. From Sydney's Roxy 'Nite Club and low-life cafes and alleys and bars and striptease joints, to a mansion in Palm Beach; from the blues club Blackbird's to the famous Gay Mardi Gras, their stories intertwine as lovers break hearts and criminals break heads... all guided by Fate that seems cruel, yet in the heart-wrenching, colorful magnificent climax... ironically true to life! Large Print (16pt) & Large Format (7" x 10"). 181 pages. Comments on Paul Smith's Translation of Hafiz's 'Divan'. "It is not a joke... the English version of all the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished.." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays.

LALLA DED: LIFE & POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Lalla Ded is the famous female poet/saint from Kashmir who lived at exactly the same time as Hafiz of Shiraz (1320-1392). Her vakhs (poems/sayings) are sung even today in Kashmir. She was married at a young age but the marriage was a failure and she walked out at the age of twenty-four. She became a disciple of Siddha Srikanth. It must have taken a lot of courage on her part to walk out of a marriage and to walk around unclothed as she did. She was treated with contempt by some and much reverence by others, seeing her as a saint and eventually as God-realized. Her two hundred vakhs are some of the oldest examples of Kashmiri written. She was a bridge between Hindu mysticism and Sufism. Her poems are more influential today than ever, not only in Kashmir. Here are many of her poems with correct form and meaning. Introduction on her Life, Times & Poetry & on Sufi Poetry. 90 pages. Introduction to Sufi Poets Series Life & Poems of the following Sufi poets, Translations & Introductions: Paul Smith AMIR KHUSRAU, ANSARI, ANVARI, AL-MA'ARRI, 'ATTAR, ABU SA'ID, AUHAD UD-DIN, BABA FARID, BABA AZFAL, BABA TAHIR, BEDIL, BULLEH SHAH, DARA SHIKOH, GHALIB, HAFIZ, IBN 'ARABI, IBN YAMIN, IBN AL-FARID, IQBAL, 'IRAQI, JAHAN KHATUN, JAMI, KAMAL AD-DIN, KABIR, KHAQANI, KHAYYAM, LALLA DED, MAKHFI, MANSUR HALLAJ, MU'IN UD-DIN CHISHTI, NAZIR AKBARABADI, NESIMI, NIZAMI, OBEYD ZAKANI, RAHMAN BABA, RUMI, SANA'I, SADI, SARMAD, SHABISTARI, SHAH LATIF, SHAH NI'MAT'ULLAH, SULTAN BAHU, YUNUS EMRE, EARLY ARABIC SUFI POETS, EARLY PERSIAN SUFI POETS, URDU SUFI POETS, TURKISH SUFI POETS, AFGHAN SUFI POETS 90 pages each .Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 150 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages, including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Shah Latif, Mahsati, Bulleh Shah, Khushal Khan Khattak and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays.

THE 'MANTLE' POETS Translation & Introduction by Paul Smith Ka'b ibn Zuhair (died 7th century A.D.) was a famous poet who at first opposed Prophet Muhammad. Finally, he secretly went to Medina and approached the Prophet to ask if one who repented and embraced the faith would be forgiven. Mohammed answered yes and the poet asked, "Even Ka'b ibn Zuhair?" When he affirmed this, Ka'b revealed his identity and read a poem, his Banat Suad (of 55 couplets), which would become his most famous poem. As a reward Prophet Mohammed took off his mantle (cloak) and put it on Ka'b's shoulders. The second was composed by the eminent Sufi, Imam al-Busiri (1210-1297). The poem (161 couplets) is entirely in praise of Prophet Mohammed, who is said to have cured the poet of paralysis by appearing to him in a dream and wrapping him in a mantle. The third poet was Ahmed Shawqi (1869 - 1932) the great Egyptian poet and dramatist who pioneered the modern Egyptian literary movement. His 'Mantle' qasida is 190 couplets. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept and meaning of these beautiful, powerful, spiritual poems. Pages 116 Introduction to Sufi Poets Series 'AISHAH Al-BA'UNIYAH, AMIR KHUSRAU, ANSARI, ANVARI, AL-MA'ARRI, 'ARIFI, 'ATTAR, ABU SA'ID, AUHAD UD-DIN, BABA FARID, BABA AZFAL, BABA TAHIR, BEDIL, BULLEH SHAH, DARA SHIKOH, GHALIB, GHANI KASHMIRI, HAFIZ, HALI, HASAN DEHLAVI, HALI, HUMA, IBN 'ARABI, IBN YAMIN, IBN AL-FARID, IQBAL, INAYAT KHAN, 'IRAQI, JAHAN KHATUN, JAMI, JIGAR, KABIR, KAMAL AD-DIN, KHAQANI, KHAYYAM, LALLA DED, MAHSATI, MAJNUN, MAKHFI, MANSUR HALLAJ, MIR, MU'IN UD-DIN CHISHTI, NAZIR, NESIMI, NIZAMI, NUND RISHI, OBEYD ZAKANI, PAUL, RAHMAN BABA, RUMI, SADI, SA'IB, SANA'I, SARMAD, SEEMAB, SHABISTARI, SHAH LATIF, SHAH NI'MAT'ULLAH, SULTAN BAHU, YUNUS EMRE, EARLY ARABIC SUFI POETS, EARLY PERSIAN SUFI POETS, URDU SUFI POETS, AFGHAN SUFI POETS, TURKISH SUFI POETS ETC... 90-120 pages each. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books & screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

WISDOM OF HAFIZ (360 Rhymes on Life, Love, Truth, Grief, Pain, Beauty & the Path to the One) Translation & Introduction Paul Smith. Persia's greatest exponent of the poetic form of the ghazal Hafiz (1320-139o) became a Perfect Master (Qutub), was twice exiled from his beloved Shiraz for his criticism of rulers and false Sufi masters and hypocritical clergy. His Divan shows he composed in nearly all forms. As with his ghazals, masnavis, qasidas, qita's, ruba'is and other poems are sometimes mystical and sometimes critical of the hypocrisy of his times. Here are some maxims taken from all forms of his poetry: beautiful words of love and wisdom from one of the greatest lovers & perhaps the greatest poet of all time and one of the wisest. Introduction, Selected Bibliography and Glossary. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these wonderful 360 immortal sayings. Large Print (16pt) & Large Format (8" x 10") Edition. 378 pages. Goethe: "In his poetry Hafiz inscribed undeniable truth indelibly! He has no peer!" Gertrude Bell: "It is as if his mental Eye, endowed with wonderful acuteness of vision, had penetrated into those provinces of thought which we of a later age were destined to inhabit." Meher Baba: "There is no equal to Hafiz in poetry. He was a Perfect Master ... His Divan is the best book in the world because it engenders feelings which ultimately lead to illumination." Comments on Paul Smith's Translation of Hafiz's 'Divan'. "It is not a joke... the English version of all the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Mahsati, Nesimi, Baba Farid, Yunus Emre, Mu'in, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Lalla Ded, Mahsati, Khushal Khan Khattak and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, children's books, biographies and screenplays.

THE MASTER'S WORDS: Poems (Ghazals) inspired by sayings of Meher Baba by Paul Smith. From the 1920's into the late sixties the great Indian God-Realized Spiritual Master Meher Baba (1894-1969), composed unique ghazals under the pen-name of Huma. Now after 40 years as his disciple and being a poet from the mid-sixties, Paul Smith, uses the unique sayings of Meher Baba as the first lines to compose his own ghazals about love, spirituality, God, the present crises. The author carries on the ancient tradition of the ghazal and completes the task with love and dedication and the experience of writing hundreds of his own (the first in English) and translating for over 40 years those of Huma, Hafiz, Sadi, Nesimi, 'Attar and many others. Included are biographies of both poets and an article on Form, Function and History of the oldest, most mysterious, most beautiful poetic form... the still popular ghazal. Large Print (16pt) & Large Format (8.5" x 11") Pages 216. "To penetrate into the essence of all being and significance and to release the fragrance of that inner attainment for the guidance and benefit of others, by expressing in the world of forms, truth, love, purity and beauty... this is the only game which has any intrinsic and absolute worth. All other, happenings, incidents and attainments can, in themselves, have no lasting importance." Meher Baba. Comments on Paul Smith's Version of Hafiz's 'Divan'. "It is not a joke... the English version of all the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages, including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Iqbal, Ghalib and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

POEMS OF OMAR KHAYYAM Sufi Pocketbook Series Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Omar Khayyam (died 1132) was one of the early Sufi Masters of the Persian poetic form of the ruba'i... so much so that many in collections of these profound, philosophic, mystical, sometimes controversial poems were often attributed to him, although many were by other great Persian poets such as 'Attar, Sadi, Rumi and Hafiz. C.H.A. Bjerregaard states in his 'Sufism: Omar Khayyam and E. Fitzgerald': "The writings of Omar Khayyam are good specimens of Sufism but are not valued in the West as they ought to be, and the mass of the people know him only through the poems of Edward Fitzgerald which is unfortunate. Omar was a Sufi mystic of the order of Rumi, 'Attar, Sadi and the other great ones." Contents: The Life, Times & Works of Omar Khayyam, Omar Khayyam the Sufi Poet, Form, Function & History of the Ruba'i, Selected Bibliography, Glossary. The correct rhyme-structure is here and the beauty, meaning, truth of all poems in the ruba'i (quatrain) four line form. Pocketbook Paperback 5" x 8" 208 pages. Comments on Paul Smith's Translation of Hafiz's 'Divan'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many works into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Rahman Baba, Bulleh Shah, Ghalib, Iqbal and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books & 12 screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

THE DERVISH/SUFI RUBA'IYAT OF ABU SAID (Pocket Edition) Translation by Paul Smith, Introduction by Paul Smith & R. A. Nicholson. Abu Said ibn Abi 'l-Khair (968-1049) was a Perfect Master and a poet who lived in Nishapur and composed only ruba'is, over 400 of them. He was a founder of Sufi poetry and a major influence on the ruba'i and most poets that followed, especially Sana'i, Nizami, 'Attar, Rumi and Hafiz. Here are 400 of his 800 ruba'is translated into the correct form. Included in the long Introduction are the life of Abu Sa'id and a history of the ruba'i and examples by its greatest exponents. Selected Bibliography. The correct rhyme-structure is kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these immortal four-line poems. Pocket edition 5.25" x 8" 605 pages. Comments on Paul Smith's Translation of Hafiz's 'Divan'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author of poems inspired by Hafiz). Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Nesimi, Baba Farid, Lalla Ded, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Bulleh Shah, Mahsati and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

THE SUFI PATH Metaphysics & Stages of the Way in Poetry by Mansur al-Hallaj, Nizami, Ibn al-Farid and others Translation & Introduction Paul Smith CONTENTS: The Tawasin. Mansur al-Hallaj was executed for declaring: "I am the Truth (Anal Haq)." Much has been written about his famous (and in¬famous) statement and his masterpiece The Tawasin in which he makes it. 'Written in rhymed Arabic prose... it sets forth a doctrine of saintship-a doctrine founded on personal experience and clothed in the form of a subtle yet passionate dialectic.' R.A. Nicholson. Treasury of Mysteries by Nizami..: "... the most beautiful mystic poem in the Persian language, has both perfection of language and grandeur of thought. Every line of his Treasury of Mysteries is a living witness to his absolute certainty that piety, devotion, humility and self-forgetfulness are the corner stones of total annihilation, which in turn is necessary for unification with God and the foundation of the edifice of eternal life." G. H. Darab. Senior lecturer in Persian. University of London. Rose Garden of Mystery by Shabistari... is regarded as one of the finest books on Sufism. E.G. Browne: "On the whole, one of the best manuals of Sufi theosophy that exists." Rev. John A. Subhan: "Important... because it is a compendium of Sufi terminology in the form of question and answer." R.A. Nicholson, "A versified exposition of the chief Sufi Doctrines. It should be read by every one seriously interested in the subject." The Sufi's Progress by Ibn al-Farid who is considered to be the undisputed master of Islamic mystical (Sufi) poetry into Arabic. He is considered not only to be a poet but a Perfect Master (Qutub) a God-realised soul... it is his journey to unity with God that he reveals in probably the longest qasida (ode) in Arabic. Book of Ecstasy or Ball & Polo-Stick by 'Arifi... 'allegory of the human soul and also a rendition of the analogy of that soul and the macrocosmic soul... goes further than many mystical treatises in that it not only deals with the matter of spiritual ecstasy, but also emphasises that when attunement with the macrocosmic element is attained, even mystical experience is dwarfed... a most important and still valuable part of the scriptures of the Sufis.' Al Faqir Hafiz Amir Barakawi-Khajawi. Poems Composed while Reading 'God Speaks' of Meher Baba... Meher Baba's metaphysical views are most notably described in God Speaks. He upheld the concept of non-duality, the view that diverse creation, or duality, is an illusion and that the goal of life is conscious realization of the absolute Oneness of God inherent in all animate and inanimate beings and things. These free-form and rhyming poems by Paul Smith were composed during studying this masterpiece. The correct rhyme-structures have been kept in all forms of all the poems. Large Format Paperback 7"x 10" 572 pages. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Yunus Emre and many others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

THE MASTER, THE MUSE & THE POET An Autobiography in Poetry by... Paul Smith Born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1945, Paul Smith began composing poems in the ancient Persian form of the ghazal at the age of 6 on his way to school. Here are most of his poems composed over the past 53 years... free-form, rhyming, ruba'is, ghazals, masnavis etc. Here are poems composed at home or travelling in the East and the U.S.A while giving readings of his poetry and translations. Here are poems of a personal nature, about human love & grief, about evolution and God and man and the environment and the past, present and future. Many of the poems were composed while translating the works of Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, Kabir, Obeyd Zakani, Jahan Khutan, Meher Baba (Huma) and many others and while writing novels, screenplays, children's books and plays where he continued to tell the inner and outer story of his passage through this mysterious and wonderful and sometimes very painful life. 726 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages, including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and a dozen screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

THE BOOK OF TURKISH POETRY Anthology of Sufi, Dervish, Divan, Court & Folk Poetry from the 12th - 20th Century Translations, Introductions, Paul Smith Introduction includes chapters on...The Turkish Language, Turkish Poetry, The Gazel in Turkish Poetry, The Roba'i in Turkish Poetry, The Mesnevi in Turkish Poetry, The Qasida in Turkish Poetry and a Glossary. Included with each selection of a particular poet is a brief biography plus a list of further reading. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful, often mystical poems. THE POETS: Ahmed Yesevi, Sultan Valad, Yunus Emre, Kadi Burhan-ud-din, Nesimi, Ahmedi, Suleyman Chelebi, Sheykhi, Ahmed Pasha, Mihri, Zeyneb, Jem, Necati, Zati, Pir Sultan, Khayali, Fuzuli, Baqi, Huda'i, Nef'i, Yahya, Haleti, Na'ili, Niyazi, Nabi, Nedim, Fitnet, Galib, Esrar Dede, Leyla Khanim and Veysel. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" Pages 354. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Baba Farid, Mu'in, Lalla Ded, Mahsati, Iraqi, Ghalib and others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

BHAGAVAD GITA The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna Revised into Modern English by Paul Smith from the original Sanskrit by Shri Purohit Swami Introductions to Chapters by Charles Johnston The Bhagavad Gita is the single most famous poem in the ancient literature of India. It is equally celebrated as the highest spiritual philosophy and poetry. It constitutes the beginning and in a sense the end of any true knowledge of Indian mysticism. The translator refers to it as 'The Bible of India'. The Guardian said of this translation in 1935 when it was first published: "A beautiful rendering, and gives the reader a clearer and more truthful impression of what the Indian reader takes it to mean than a literal translation would do." Illustrated. 326 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz'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 languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Mu'in, Lalla Ded and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and a dozen screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

SHAH LATIF: LIFE & POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Shah Abdul Latif (1689-1752) was a Sufi Master and is considered by many to be the greatest poet of the Sindhi language. His book of poetry is called the Risalo. His shrine is located in Bhit and attracts hundreds of pilgrims every day. He is the most famous Sindhi poet and Sufi. He was not just adored for poetry, people from far and near respected and loved him as a Spiritual Master. He composed dohas (self-contained strict-rhyming couplets popular with poet-saints of India like Kabir, Surdas, Tukaram) and freed it from the chain of two lines, extending it to even five or six couplets, often with irregular rhyme structures. He also introduced one more string to the tambura, and founded a new tradition in music based on the synthesis of high art and folk art. He told the basic principles of Sufism in his poetry, often using folktales about human love becoming a bridge to Divine Love. 90 pages Introduction to Sufi Poets Series Life & Poems of the following Sufi poets, Translations & Introductions: Paul Smith AMIR KHUSRAU, ANSARI, ANVARI, AL-MA'ARRI, 'ATTAR, ABU SA'ID, AUHAD UD-DIN, BABA FARID, BABA AZFAL, BABA TAHIR, BEDIL, BULLEH SHAH, DARA SHIKOH, GHALIB, HAFIZ, IBN 'ARABI, IBN YAMIN, IBN AL-FARID, IQBAL, 'IRAQI, JAHAN KHATUN, JAMI, KAMAL AD-DIN, KABIR, KHAQANI, KHAYYAM, LALLA DED, MAKHFI, MANSUR HALLAJ, MU'IN UD-DIN CHISHTI, NAZIR AKBARABADI, NESIMI, NIZAMI, OBEYD ZAKANI, RAHMAN BABA, RUMI, SANA'I, SADI, SARMAD, SHABISTARI, SHAH LATIF, SHAH NI'MAT'ULLAH, SULTAN BAHU, YUNUS EMRE, EARLY ARABIC SUFI POETS, EARLY PERSIAN SUFI POETS, URDU SUFI POETS, TURKISH SUFI POETS, AFGHAN SUFI POETS. Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 150 books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

LATER SUFI POETRY From the 15th to the 20th century Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Considered the last great poet of the Classical Period (8th-15th c.) and the forerunner of what is called the 'modern period' or 'Later Sufi Poetry' was Jami. After him there were many 'great' Sufi poets writing in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Turkish, Punjabi and other languages. Here is a good selection of most with biographies of the poets and 'Further Reading', like in the companion volume 'Classical Sufi Poetry'. THE POETS Jami 31, Alisher Navoi 43, 'Aishah al-Ba'uniyah 54, Baba Fighani 63, Pir Sultan 67, Khayali 70, Fuzuli 74, Huda'i 81, Faizi 83, Urfi 87, Qutub Shah 92, Naziri 95, Vaez Qazvini 100, Rahim 103, Mirza 106, Nef'i 118, Sa'ib 121, Dara Shikoh 124, Sarmad 129, Ghani Kashmiri 136, Nasir Ali 145, Khushal 146, Sultan Bahu 153, Ashraf Khan 156, Makhfi 159, Bedil 174, Abdul-Khadir 180, Rahman Baba 184, Khwaja Mohammad 194, Hamid 200, Niyazi 209, Wali 212, Bulleh Shah 216, Shah Latif 221, Mushtaq 228, Ali Haider 230, Sauda 233, Dard 236, Ahmad Shah 240, Shaida 246, Nazir 251, Hatef 257, Mir 263, Sachal Sarmast 273, Galib 277, Nur 'Ali Shah 283, Bibi Hayati 285, Rida 'Ali Shah 291, Muzaffar 'Ali Shah 293, Esrar Dede 294, Aatish 296, Zafar 301, Zauq 306, Ghalib 309, Momin 316, Dabir 321, Anees 322, Shefta 324, Tahirah 326, Dagh 333, Hali 341, Farid 345, Shad 347, Khusrawi 351, Iqbal 353, Inayat Khan 362, Ashgar 367, Seemab 370, Jigar 378, Huma 387, Josh 394, Khadim 398, Veysel 403, Firaq 406, Khalili 412, Nurbaksh 414, Paul 416. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept in all poems. Introduction Sufi Poetry & Forms. Large Format Paperback 7"x 10" 432 pages.COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFEZ'S GHAZALS."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafez is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished.." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafez 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of English to Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages including Hafez, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in ud-din Chishti, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Hallaj, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Ghalib, 'Iraqi, Iqbal, Makhfi, Lalla Ded, Abu Nuwas, Ibn al-Farid, Rahman Baba, Nazir, and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, childrens books and a dozen screenplays.

LIVES OF THE URDU & PASHTU POETS by Paul Smith CONTENTS: The Ghazal in Urdu & Pashtu Poetry... 7, Ghazal Singing in India, Pakistan & Afghanistan... 17, The Ruba'i in Urdu & Pashtu Poetry... 20, The Masnavi in Urdu & Pashtu Poetry... 25 LIVES OF THE URDU POETS: Amir Khusrau 29, Qutub Shah 38, Wali 40, Sauda 42, Dard 44, Nazir 46, Mir 74, Aatish 77, Zafar 79, Zauq 82, Ghalib 84, Momin 97, Shefta 99, Dagh 101, Dabir 103, Anees 104, Hali 106, Akbar Allahabadi 107, Shad 109, Inayat Khan 111, Iqbal 114, Asghar 129, Mehroom 131, Jigar 132, Huma 134, Firaq 138, Josh 140, Faiz 142. LIVES OF THE PASHTU POETS: Mirza 147, Khushal Khan 149, Ashraf Khan 163, Abdul-Kadir 165, Rahman Baba 168, Khwaja Mohammad 174, Hamid 175, Ahmad Shah 177, Shaida 180. Books of 'Further Reading' to discover translations of their poems & more on their lives are given for each poet. 181 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages, including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Iqbal, Ghalib, and others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

HAFIZ OF SHIRAZ The Screenplay by Paul Smith HAFIZ is an aspiring poet and the ugliest man of his age: an apprentice baker, who delivers bread to the people of Shiraz, Persia. One day he catches sight of NABAT, the beautiful daughter of one of the cities wealthy traders. Smitten, HAFIZ pours his longing into his songs dedicated to the entrancing object of his desire. His words are so wondrous that the greatest minstrel of the day HAJJI, takes up his instrument and serenades HAFIZ'S loved one. Captivated by his lyrics, NABAT falls in love with HAFIZ, whose experiences with the Spiritual Guide, ATTAR, and songs and poems have established him as a spiritual and cultural force throughout his beloved country, ravaged by bloody coups and violent revolutions. Fame does not come easily as the ruthless rulers and clergy conspire to silence the ever-increasing power of HAFIZ'S voice. Will the lovers survive? Can words of love defeat the sword of hypocrisy? Will HAFIZ gain his heart's desire. HAFIZ OF SHIRAZ is a truly timeless story. The classical fantasies Beauty and The Beast, Phantom of The Opera, Cyrano De Bergerac have fascinated people world-wide. However HAFIZ OF SHIRAZ is more than a fantasy, it is the real life story of HAFIZ, the 14th Century poet and mystic. Today, his work is sung by the greatest artists throughout the East and the West. PAUL SMITH has revealed his extraordinary life. Goethe's spiritual mentor, described by Emerson as "the Shakespeare of the East... the greatest poet of all time". HAFIZ OF SHIRAZ is an epic musical drama aimed at mass market throughout the East and the West.Gertrude Bell: "It is as if his mental Eye, endowed with wonderful acuteness of vision, had penetrated into those provinces of thought which we of a later age were destined to inhabit."Meher Baba: "There is no equal to Hafiz in poetry. He was a Perfect Master ... His Divan is the best book in the world because it engenders feelings which ultimately lead to illumination."COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all. " Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University."Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author).Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 80 books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

HAFEZ The Ugly, Little, Fat Persian Boy Who Became the World's Greatest Poet! This is the true story of the ugliest boy of his age but with a remarkable memory whose father dies when he is eight and he has to live with his mother at his Uncle Sadi's house. Hafez goes to work in a drapery shop where he becomes part of the people's overthrowing of a cruel ruler. He then becomes an apprentice baker, who delivers bread to the rich suburbs of Shiraz, Persia in 1320. One day he catches sight of Nabat, the beautiful daughter of one of the cities wealthy traders, promised to a handsome prince. Hafez pours his love into his poems/songs dedicated to her. His words are so wondrous that the greatest minstrel of the day Hajji, takes up his instrument and serenades his loved one for him. His experiences with his Spiritual Master, Attar, and his songs and poems soon establish Hafez as a force for truth and beauty through his much loved Shiraz, ravaged by wars and revolutions. Fame doesn't come easily as the ruthless rulers and priests conspire to silence the ever-increasing power of Hafiz's voice. Will he, Nabat and friends like the jester Obeyd and the minstrel Hajji survive? Can words of love defeat hate's sword? Will Hafez gain his heart's desire? Meher Baba: "There is no equal to Hafez in poetry. He was a Perfect Master ... His Divan is the best book in the world because it engenders feelings which ultimately lead to illumination." Large Print 16pt., Large Format 8" x 10" 207 pages. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Rudaki, Seemab, Jigar, his own poetry, fiction, children's books, plays, biographies, screenplays. amazon/author/smithpa

A BOOK OF QUATRAINS FOR THE ONE by Paul Smith The quatrain (ruba'i in the east) is an ancient form of poetry of four lines in which usually the first, second and fourth lines rhyme and sometimes with the radif (refrain) after the rhyme words... sometimes all four rhyme. Each quatrain is a separate poem in itself. It should be eloquent, spontaneous and ingenious. Every major and most minor poet of Persia and Turkey and India composed at some times in the ruba'i form, Omar Khayyam being the most famous. Paul Smith, an Australian poet, has translated all the major Sufi and other poets of this form and has composed many of his own in English over the past 45 years. Here is a large selection of his work that is at once modern and reflecting all the great Sufi ruba'i poets of the past. The Introduction includes chapters on his life and work and a chapter on this popular form of inspirational poetry. Selected Bibliography. Large Format Edition 7" x 10" Pages 511.COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author).Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Lalla Ded, Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah, Jami, Ghalib, Iqbal and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa Published by New Humanity Books

THE BOOK OF MAJNUN Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Majnun was a real person! Qays Ibn al-Mulawwah (Majnun='madman) was a youth, a Bedouin poet in the seventh century of the Bani Amir tribe in the Najd desert in Arabia. He fell in love with Layla from the same tribe whom he was denied. (It is said that Shakespeare was inspired by their tale for Romeo & Juliet from their tragic love story). Most of his recorded poetry was composed before his descent into love-madness (mast) then through a Perfect Master... his spiritual unification with his beloved. Nizami's famous telling of their tale came from these collected poems (Divan) and other sources. It is here translated into the correct form of the masnavi. Many other Persian, Turkish and Urdu poets imitated him or wrote their own versions of the story of the height of human love that became Divine and a selection of them are translated in this book. Here in the form of the qit'as in which they were composed, is the largest collection of Majnun's immortal poems translated into English. Included are four Appendixes, Introduction on his Life & Times and chapters on Arabic Poetry and the Qit'a. Selected Bibliography. Large format paperback 7" x 10" 336 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Mahsati, Iqbal, Ghalib, Nazir, and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

LOVE: A Play in Poetry & FIRST LOVE STORY (The Only Miracle) Poems by Paul Smith From the Introduction: The history of Love has been written by few historians - why is that? Because love cannot be pinpointed to a time and place... because, it is in all times and all places. It is responsible for every sequence of events - it is also beyond all that, as a matter of fact, events are the responsibility of love, they are the tools with which love works: 'Love, is its own reason for being' Meher Baba. Love's game is so simple, yet... seemingly so complicated. Love complicates events to make the game more worthwhile. The objective of the game is reunion. "There is an extremely powerful force that, so far, science has not found a formal explanation to. It is a force that includes and governs all others, and is even behind any phenomenon operating in the universe and has not yet been identified by us. This universal force is... love." Albert Einstein. 117 loving pages! COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian and other languages of Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Iqbal, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Ghalib, Iqbal, Shah Latif, Baba Farid, Nazir, Makhfi and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and 12 screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

THE BOOK OF POETS OF THE NI'MATULLAH SUFI ORDER Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Shah Ni'matullah (1330-1431) was the founder of an order of Sufis that is today one of the largest in Iran and around the world. As well as a Sufi Master he was a poet who inspired many Spiritual Masters and Sufi Poets over the following 500 years to follow his example. Contents: The Ni'matullah Sufi Order, Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry, Forms of Poetry used by the Ni'matullah Poets, Bibliography, Glossary. The Poets: Shah Ni'matullah, Bushaq, Kasim Anwar, Shah Da'i, Nur 'Ali Shah, Bibi Hayati, Rida 'Ali Shah, Muzaffar 'Ali Shah, Khusrawi, Munis 'Ali Shah. The correct rhyme-structures have been kept and the meaning of these beautiful, powerful and mystical poems. This is the largest translation of their poems into English. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 274 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University."Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Iqbal, Ghalib and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays.w New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

***WINE, BLOOD & ROSES*** ANTHOLOGY OF TURKISH POETS Sufi, Dervish, Divan, Court & Folk Poetry from the 12th - 20th Century Translations, Introductions, Paul Smith Introduction includes chapters on...The Turkish Language, Turkish Poetry, The Gazel in Turkish Poetry, The Roba'i in Turkish Poetry, The Mesnevi in Turkish Poetry, The Qasida in Turkish Poetry and a Glossary. Included with each selection of a particular poet is a brief biography plus a list of further reading. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful, often mystical poems. THE POETS: Ahmed Yesevi, Sultan Valad page, Yunus Emre, Kadi Burhan-ud-din, Nesimi, Ahmedi, Suleyman Chelebi, Sheykhi, Ahmed Pasha, Mihri, Zeyneb, Jem, Necati, Zati, Pir Sultan, Khayali, Fuzuli, Baqi, Huda'i, Nef'i, Yahya, Haleti, Na'ili, Niyazi, Nabi, Nedim, Fitnet, Galib, Esrar Dede, Leyla Khanim, Veysel. Pages 286. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author of poems inspired by Hafiz). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Baba Farid, Mu'in, Lalla Ded, Mahsati and others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa New Humanity Books

Anthology of Sufi & Folk Strophe Poems of Persia & the Indian Sub-Continent Translation & Introduction Paul Smith A Persian tarji-band consists of a series of stanzas or strophes each containing a variable but equal, or nearly equal, number of couplets all in one rhyme... as in the ghazal and qasida, these stanzas being separated from each other by a series of isolated rhyming couplets that mark the end of each strophe. If the same couplet (or refrain) is repeated at the end of each band, or strophe, the poem is a tarji-band, or 'return-tie'. If on the other hand the couplets concluding each band is different, each rhyming internally in a rhyme different from the preceding and succeeding bands, the poem is called a tarikh-band, or 'composite-tie'. The mukhammas consists of verses of five lines. In the first verse, all of the lines rhyme. In the verses that follow, the first four lines rhyme with each other and the last line rhymes with the rhymes of the first verse. A close inspection of this form shows that it is also as with the ghazal, a spiral, and probably originated from the ghazal. There are other forms in Persian poetry similar to it, with six (musaddes) and seven lines (musebba) in each verse. In some ways a mukhammas is like an extended form of the ghazal, but is a totally rhymed poem and doesn't have the ghazal's freedom, where one can be spontaneous because of the lack of rhyme in the first line of each couplet after the first. The kafi contains a radif or refrain that begins the poem and ends it and is repeated between the rhyming verses in-between (usually two to four) and reminds one of the mukhammas. Bulleh Shah's kafis are regarded as an integral part of the traditional repertoire of Qawwali, the musical genre which represents the devotional music of the Sufis. Kafis are common in Punjabi Sufi poetry. THE POETS: Farrukh, Rumi, 'Iraqi, Obeyd Zakani, Hafiz, Jahan Khatun, Shah Ni'matu'llah, Shah Shuja, Bedil, Rahman Baba, Bulleh Shah, Hatef, Nazir Akbarabadi, Qa'ani, Tahirah, Iqbal, Parvin, Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 435 pages.COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance.." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Baba Farid, Mu'in, Lalla Ded, Mahsati, Ghalib, Iqbal and many others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa Published by New Humanity Books

IBN AL-FARID The Great Arabic Sufi Perfect Master Poet. Selected Poems. Translation & Introduction Paul Smith. Umar Ibn al-Farid, an Egyptian poet (1181-1235), is considered to be the undisputed master of Islamic mystical (Sufi) poetry into Arabic. He is considered not only to be a poet but a Perfect Master (Qutub) a God-realised soul... and it is his journey to unity with God that he reveals in probably the longest qasida (ode) in Arabic (761 couplets), his famous The Mystic's Progress. The other poem for which he is most known is his Wine Poem that is often seen as a prologue to the The Mystic's Progress. Although these long poems have been translated into English before this is the first time in the correct rhyme of the qasida and in clear, concise, modern English, many of his other long and shorter poems are also translated. Included in the Introduction are chapters on his Life & Work, The Qasida in Arabic, Previous Qasidas by Master Arab Poets that would have influenced him and one who he influenced, The Perfect Master (Qutub), and the Wine Poem and The Mystic's Way. Selected Bibliography. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept and also the beauty and meaning of these immortal, spiritual poems. This is the largest translation into English. Large Print (16pt) & Large Format (8" x 10") Edition. 267 pages. Comments on Paul Smith's Translation of Hafiz's 'Divan'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Iqbal and many others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. New Humanity Books. amazon.com/author/smithpa

THREE VERY SPECIAL MEHER BABA PLACES Poona: The City of God, Meherazad & Seclusion Hill, Meherabad & The Tomb Poems & Photographs... by Paul Smith Poet/Translator Paul Smith became a devotee of Meher Baba in 1965 and visted India in 1969 and went on pilgrimage there many times and composed free-form & rhyming poems on his experiences at very special places connected with Meher Baba, the Perfect Spiritual Master Who declared Himself, Avatar of the Age. In 1985 the author began to feel the need (usually on the site, or shortly afterwards) to put pen to paper and express in free-form, internally-rhyming poetry... a kind of descriptive inner and outer guide to each 'Baba place' in Meher Baba's birth-place of Poona (Pune), as he was experiencing it... a 'feeling' of the presence of the Master from the past that was still available... and, (having gone back often to many of the places and discovered this)... the future. He began to take black & white photographs of all the places at the same time, sometimes even in the middle of writing the poem. Interestingly, often when he read these poems to others they inspired them to visit Poona, Meherazad & Seclusion Hill and Meherabad and Meher Baba's Tomb/Shrine and see and experience the 'vibe' or 'feeling' of the presence of Avatar Meher Baba that remains there. Introduction: Paul Smith: Life & Work; Life and Works of Meher Baba; Bibliography. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" Pages 458 COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Rahman Baba, Mahsati, Huma (Meher Baba), Jigar, Seemab, Ibn al-Farid, Abu Nuwas, Makhfi, Hali and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and 12 screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

PIERCING PEARLS: VOLUME ONE The Complete Anthology of Persian Poetry Court, Sufi, Dervish, Satirical, Ribald, Prison & Social Poetry from the 9th to the 13th century. Translations, Introduction and Notes by Paul Smith This 2 volume anthology is the largest anthology of Persian Poetry published. The introduction contains a history and explanation of all the forms used by the poets, a short history of the Persian language, Sufism in Persian Poetry & a Glossary of Sufi & Dervish Symbols plus a Selected Bibliography. With each selection of a poet is a brief biography plus a list of further reading. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful, often mystical poems. THE POETS: Abbas of Merv, Hanzalah, Firuz, Abu Salik, Abu Shakur, Junaidi, Shahid, Rudaki, Agachi, Rabi'a Balkhi, Khusravani, Manjik, Daqiqi, Mantiki, Umarah, Kisa'i, Firdausi, Baba Tahir, Farrukhi, Asjadi, Minuchihri, Gurgani, Unsuri, Abu Sa'id, Ibn Sina, Baba Kuhi, Nasir-i-Khusraw, Asadi, Azraqi, Qatran, Ansari, Al-Ghazali, Mas'ud Sad, Mu'izzi, Hamadani, Omar Khayyam, Sana'i, Sabir, Mahsati, Jabali, Vatvat, Anvari, Falaki, Hasan Ghaznavi, Suzani, Athir, Jamal al-din, Mujir, Khaqani, Mu'in, Zahir, Nizami, Ruzbihan, Baghdadi, 'Attar, Auhad ud-din Kermani, Kamal ad-din, Hamavi, Baba Afza, Rumi, Imami, Hamgar, Sadi, 'Iraqi. Pages 528. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss his fingertips." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author ). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Mu'in and many others, and poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/sm

HAFIZ: THE ORACLE (For Lovers, Seekers, Pilgrims, and the God-Intoxicated) Translation, Introduction, Interpretations by Paul Smith. Hafiz's Divan of poems has been used as an Oracle successfully by millions of people from all walks of life for the past 600 years. The practice of interpreting his insightful poems has been a long tradition. Here are four hundred ghazals with insightful, clear interpretations by Paul Smith, an Introduction that includes his life, poetry, spirituality and the history of the use of his book as one of the world's great Oracles. The correct rhyme has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these immortal, mystical poems. 441 pagesGertrude Bell: "It is as if his mental Eye, endowed with wonderful acuteness of vision, had penetrated into those provinces of thought which we of a later age were destined to inhabit."Meher Baba: "There is no equal to Hafiz in poetry. He was a Perfect Master ... His Divan is the best book in the world because it engenders feelings which ultimately lead to illumination."COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all. " Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University."Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author).Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 80 books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa Published by New Humanity Books

MASNAVIS... STORIES OF SUFI MASTER POETS Selected Poems... Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The masnavi is the main form used in Persian and other poetry to write epic ballads or romances or Sufi stories and is essentially a Persian invention. Each couplet has a different rhyme with both lines rhyming. This is to allow the poet greater freedom to go into a longer description of the subject he has chosen to present. With the masnavis of the 'Enclosed Garden of the Truth' of Sana'i, the 'Five Treasures' of Nizami, the 'Conference of the Birds' and 'The Book of God' and many others by 'Attar, the 'Seven Thrones' of Jami and of course the great 'Masnavi' of Rumi... the form had become widely used in Sufism to tell stories. 'Arifi's 'Book of Ecstasy' masnavi is the last great Sufi masnavi poem before the last great Sufi poet of the Classical Period in Persian Poetry who mastered this form, Jami... also from Herat. The form & meaning has been kept in most translations of these beautiful, often witty, occasionally obscene, unpredictable, insightful, usually mystical poems. Introduction: The Masnavi in Sufi Story-Telling Poetry, Some of the Great Masnavi Poets of Persia before Sana'i. THE POETS (Story Tellers)... Sana'i, Nizami, 'Attar, Rumi, 'Iraqi, Sadi, Obeyd Zakani (Cat & Mouse), Kasim Anvar, 'Arifi, Shah Da'i, Jami, Parvin, Paul. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 378 pages. Comments on Paul Smith's Translation of Hafiz's 'Divan'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). 'Perfect Translation." Amir, Amazon.com Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Iqbal, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Ghalib, Jigar, Seemab and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and 12 screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

THE SUFI MASNAVI An AnthologyTranslations & Introduction Paul Smith. The masnavi is the poetic form used in Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Arabic and other languages to write epic ballads, romances and Sufi mystical stories and is essentially a Persian invention. Each couplet has a different rhyme with both lines rhyming. This is to allow the poet greater freedom to go into a longer description of the subject he has chosen to present. Introduction includes... Article on the masnavi in various languages. With each selection of a particular poet is a brief biography plus a list of further reading. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these long, powerful, often mystical poems. THE POETS... Rabi'a Balkhi, Daqiqi, Firdausi, Gurgani, Nasir-i-Khusraw, Asadi, Sana'i, Khaqani, Zahir, Nizami, 'Attar, Rumi, Sadi, 'Iraqi, Sultan Valad, Yunus Emre, Shabistari, Amir Khusraw, Auhadi, Khaju, Obeyd Zakani, Shahin, Hafiz, Ruh Attar, Suleyman Chelebi, Kasim Anwar, Shah Ni'matu'llah, Shah Da'i, 'Arifi, Jami, Zargun Khan, Fuzuli, Bedil, Mir, Nazir, Ghalib, Tahirah, Iqbal, Inayat Khan, Parvin, Paul. 519 pages.COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart.Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 150 books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages, including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Iqbal, Ghalib and others and poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa Published by New Humanity Books

GHAZALS INSPIRED BY THOSE OF THE GREAT SUFI POETS by Paul Smith, In 1974 Australian poet Paul Smith began a 12 year journey translating his acclaimed Divan of Hafiz (many 'greats' say the world's finest poet). To do this he had to master in English the ancient form of the ghazal in which Hafiz was considered the 'Master'. So, for the first time in the English language he composed his own ghazals in the real form and content (others had done variations on it) and would continue to do so for the following forty years, often inspired by Hafiz and many great Sufi poets that he would put into beautiful, correct rhyming English... all Master poets of this wonderful, mystical, most ancient and most difficult form of poetry. He would also create a number of books of Anthologies of the ghazal from Adam to the latest. Here are more than 230 of his own ghazals inspired by the first couplets of his translations of ghazals from the greatest Sufi Master Poets from Hazrat 'Ali (598-661) to Iqbal (1873-1938). Introduction on the ghazal in all languages. Selected Bibliography. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 265 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance.." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart."I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Baba Farid, Mu'in, Lalla Ded, Mahsati and many others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa New Humanity Books

LOVE IN THE POEMS OF HAFEZ Selected Ghazals. Translation & Introduction Paul Smith. "The 'religion' of Hafez was the love of God in human form and beyond all form, and this 'religion' Hafez proclaims in all his poetry, and this 'rel¬igion' Hafez lived throughout his life. To try to put Hafez into a box labelled this or that 'religion' is an impossible task because God is impossible to classify; God can only be lived and 'religion' is the creation of man, and God is the Creator of all of mankind." I first wrote this in 1986 after I had spent 12 years translating the complete 'Divan of Hafez'. Thirty years and many hundreds of books on the great Sufi & Bhakti poets later and after composing a Life of Hafez and many Plays & Movies etc. on him... I have felt the need to take from all of the ghazals in his Divan hundreds of his poems on love that he experienced from human love as a husband, father and lover of his Muse Shaikh-i-Nabat and as a lover of his Spiritual Master Mahmud Attar, to the Divine Love of a Perfect Master, or God in Human Form which he became about ten years before he passed on and which make up about half of his poems. 'Don't place your foot down in street of Love without a Guide: by myself, for myself, a hundred moves I willed, it wasn't to be. Fate decreed Love for me... wrote it on my forehead: whatever Fate has written is impossible to wipe away.' Hafez. Introduction: Life, Spirituality & Poetry, Notes, Selected Bibliography. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 284 pages. Goethe: "In his poetry Hafez inscribed undeniable truth indelibly! He has no peer!" Gertrude Bell: "It is as if his mental Eye, endowed with wonderful acuteness of vision, had penetrated into those provinces of thought which we of a later age were destined to inhabit." Meher Baba: "There is no equal to Hafez in poetry. He was a Perfect Master ... His Divan is the best book in the world because it engenders feelings which ultimately lead to illumination." Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages including Hafez, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Hallaj, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Seemab, Jigar, Iqbal, Ghalib, Lalla Ded, Ghani Kashmiri, Hali, Jigar and many others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, kids books and twelve screenplays. Published by New Humanity Books. amazon.com/author/smithpa A SELECTION OF REVIEWS OF PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFEZ'S DIVAN "It is not a joke. The two books... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. Dr. M"ir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Who is this Paul Smith who has written such a precious book? I had no idea of the whereabouts of this brilliant person. It is a brilliant feat... the two books, the Introduction and the Divan. In spite of not knowing or having seen him we have become much attached to him and admire him. I am much thankful and grateful." Dr. Zein ab Abedin Mo'tamin (D. Lit.) Tehran."I have never seen such a good translation and I would like to write a book in Farsi and introduce his book to Iranians." Mr B. Khorramshai, Academy of Philosophy, Tehran."I would like to help to introduce your book which I loved to all Iranians and maybe to the Middle East. I will arrange a talk for you at Shiraz University and will talk to a number of Hafiz scholars and professors concerning your important work." Mr. Ali Tarrassoli. Shiraz University."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of mystical works in English to Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart.