1837.] 



of the Persians, 



119 



Ghazal. 



Ai shama zard nil kihba ashk didahi 

 Sar-khail-i-ashilian-i-masibat rasidahi 

 Farhad-i-wakt khesh mesoz wa megudaz, 

 Ta khud chira az sohbat-i-Shirin baridahi 

 Yari ba bad dadahi ar nah chira chu man 

 Bad rang wa ashk bar wa nizar wa khamidahi. 



The first distich of a Ghazal or Kasidah is called the Matla ^Ua* 

 or the Mahda W c . The second, the zeb Matla fc^ 3 * *-rV, J 

 or Husn Matla, «~^-< and the concluding distich the Makta 



^JaiU or Khatimah The poetical title of the poet is 



often introduced in the Makta— &s in the odes of Hafiz* 



Ghazals are set to music and are composed in the measure Hazaj 

 (No. 6). 



The Sdki nameh ^ <^'^* 

 The Sdki-namehs of Hafiz, though rhyming like the Masnavi, rank 

 next to the Ghazal. They comprize from eight to forty verses, in 

 praise of wine and bacchanalian enjoyment, addressed to the cup-bearer 

 (Sdki). Like the Ghazal they not unfrequently conceal a mystic 

 meaning. The Sdki nameh may be styled the Persian dithyrambic. 

 The Kasidah 



Is longer 2 than the Ghazal, although rhyming generally in 

 the same way. It comprises from 15 to an unlimited number of 

 couplets, commonly ranging however between 70 and 170. The 

 subject of the Kasidah is of graver and more serious import than 

 that of the Ghazal, though it sometimes condescends to embrace 

 forms aerial and creations of the imagination in its numbers, at the 

 expense of its name. For instance should it dwell upon the budding 

 pleasures of spring — its refreshing verdure — or, butterfly-like, revel 

 a moment in the full blown charms of the blushing rose, it loses the 



name of Kasidah, and is called Bahariyeh (from Bahar J^V. spring). 

 Should it treat of love it becomes an Ishkiyah, and when of the poets 

 own renown — a Fakhriyah (from Ishk ^jj^ hove and Fukhr 



glory). 



It sometimes happens that the name is given with reference to the 

 letter in which the Kasidah terminates. For instance, should the last 

 misra conclude with the letter Mini, it becomes a Mimiah — if with 

 Jim, a J imiah and so on. 



* This practice has obtained, according to the author of the Zuw&bit i azim, from the 

 time of Sddi. 



