the gift

by hafez

Daniel Ladinsky’s 250 unforgettable lyrical poems are inspired by the cherished verse of Hafiz, one of the greatest Sufi poets of all time. More than any other Persian poet, Hafiz expanded the mystical, healing dimensions of poetry. Because his poems were often ecstatic love songs from God to his beloved world, many have called Hafiz the “Invisible Tongue.” Daniel Ladinsky’s poems are not translations in a literal sense. Rather than capture the form of a particular classical work, Ladinsky crafts poems that release the spirit of Hafiz based on his study of stories and poems attributed to the revered Persian writer. The Gift imparts the wonderful qualities of this master Sufi poet and spiritual teacher: encouragement, an audacious love that touches lives, profound knowledge, generosity, and a sweet, playful genius unparalleled in world literature.