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by Ali Arsanjani (Author)
The Words That Bring Us to Dance is an evocative journey into the soulful world of Hafez, the revered 14th-century Persian poet. Ali Arsanjani, following in the footsteps of major translators of yore, has ambitiously taken on the challenge of not only translating but also casting Hafez's works as ghazals in English, a daunting feat that is sure to intrigue and delight readers.
This collection is intended to immerse the reader in Hafez's profound reflections on love, spirituality, and the human experience. Each ghazal, while conscientiously translated, retains a semblance of the rhythmic heartbeat akin of its original form, attempting to retain some of the musicality and depth for which Hafez is renowned.
The pursuit of presenting the translations as English ghazals ensures an added layer of artistic interpretation, offering readers a fresh and innovative way to engage with the classic texts.
The title aptly encapsulates the central theme: words that stir the soul, prompting it to dance in ecstatic recognition of the Divine.
Beyond the translations, Arsanjani offers insights into the historical and cultural context of the verses. Their annotations elucidate the multi-layered meanings, making the poet's timeless wisdom accessible to contemporary readers.
For both the uninitiated and those familiar with Hafez's work, "The Words That Bring Us to Dance" is more than just a book; it's an invitation to a mystical dance, a transcendent experience where poetry and spirituality intertwine, leading the reader to gateways toward the path of enlightenment.
