I Heard God Laughing: Renderings of Hafiz

Walnut Creek, California: Sufism Reoriented, 2001. Fifth Printing . Trade Paperback. Very Good. 7 1/4" x 10. Cobb, Diane - Cover. 159 Pages. Covers show some very minor wear and beyond that is a tight bright book with flawless interior text pages. Gift Quality. Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafiz (c. 1320-1389), though little known in the Western world, is the most beloved poet of Persia (Iran). To Persians, the poems of Hafiz are not classical literature from a remote past, but cherished wisdom from a dear and intimate friend. The special gift of this friend is a poetry unique in world literature, a poetry that celebrates every expression of love in the universe. The lyrics of Hafiz overflow with a profound appreciation of the beauty and richness of life when seen through the eyes of love. With unerring insight, he explores the feelings and motives associated with every level of love, tracing each nuance of emotion in depth and detail. His poetry outlines the stages of the mystic's path of love- that journey of inner unfolding in which love dissolves personal boundaries and limitations to join larger processes of growth and transformation. Through these processes, human love becomes divine love and the lover merges ultimately with the source and goal of all love, which Hafiz calls the Divine Beloved. Contents in Seven Parts (60 Poems): You Are with the Friend Now, Come to My House, We All Sit in God's Classroom, Set This Dry Boring Place on Fire, Let Me Near You Tonight, Maybe I Could Become a Poet, and God's Laughter. Plus The Life and Work of Hafiz and Select Bibliography.