Persian Poetry

 History of the Persian Civilization

One of the oldest, yet richest, civilizations in terms of culture is the Persian civilization. The Persians have created some of the best pieces of art in the history of mankind. From prose to calligraphy, from architecture to music, Persia has it all. One of the main components of this lustrous culture is poetry. Persian Poetry is regarded as the best in the world, with many considering it to be the archrival of Arabic Poetry, both of which are famous for their eloquence and soothing styles. 

Famous Persian Poets

Since the Persians are considered the master artisans of poetry and prose, their poets are renowned for their skill with words and their gift of expressiveness. Some of the most famous Persian poets include:

Rudaki

Abu Abdullah Jafar Ibn Muhammad Rudaki is known as the father of Persian poetry. He was so influential that more than 1,300,000 verses of poetry are claimed under his name, albeit out of those only 52 pieces of ghazals, qasidas, and rubais survived.

Rumi

Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi, commonly known as Rumi, is one of the most read poets of this millennia. A noteworthy mystic, Rumi's poetry revolves around the existence of man relative to God. He has produced some of the most profound pieces of writings in the history of literature.

Nature of Persian Poetry

Persian poetry is feminine in its nature. It has a tender, soft side. It uses obscurity to beautify things. Its refinement and grace can hardly be found anywhere else. In contrast, Arabic poetry, its rival, is masculine in nature. The Arab is intensely attached to reality, brilliancy of color does not attract him; whereas the Persian seeks to exaggerate nature's colors through the use of eloquent words. He improves the already existing beauty of things. Overall, we can safely say that their poetry is one of the greatest gifts that the nation of Persia has given to this world.