BALKH Ancient City of Sufi Masters & Poets. Selected Poems, Lives & Stories

BALKH Ancient City of Sufi Masters & Poets... Selected Poems, Lives & Stories Translation & Introduction Paul SmithBalkh is an ancient city, with a 2500-year long history, situated on the plain between the Hindu Kush Mountains and the river Oxus in the north of Afghanistan. Known by Arab conquerors as the 'mother of cities', Balkh lay on the major Silk Road routes. Balkh became a prime source of Sufi philosophy and poetry and stories when its ruler Ebrahim ibn Adham (d. 782) renounced his kingdom to live a life of complete asceticism as a wandering dervish. So many Sufi poets have written stories and poems about this great Perfect Master from Balkh. Stories on his life begin this book to be followed by poems by Abu Shakar (b. 915) who was perhaps the originator of the ruba'i form in Persian. Shahid (d.937) also from the city was said to be one of the great philosophers of the time. The tragic Rabi'a Balkhi (10th c.) was the first female poet of Persian whose life and poems have come down to us. Daqiqi (d, 979) followed, then Unsuri (d. 1049) the 'King of the Poets' and Minuchihri (d. 1041) whose Divan of mainly qasidas is remarkable. Nasir-i-Khusraw (1005-1070) was a famous and often infamous Sufi poet and philosopher. Sana'i (1050-1131) is best known for his poem 'The Enclosed Garden of the Truth'. He is considered one of the finest poets in the Sufi tradition. Vatvat (1095-1182), as well as his poetry he composed Sufi prose works. Zahir (1156-1202). Jami states that Zahir was compared to Anvari. Rumi (1207-1273) was one of the greatest of all the Sufi poets and a large selection of his and Sana'i's many poems here in correct rhyme form and meaning. Introduction: The History of Balkh, The Forms in which the Poets Composed. Large Print (14 pt) & Large Format (7" x 10"). Pages 472. 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, Mu'ir, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Mu'in and others and his poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books, screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa