Understanding the Ghazal: The Beloved Form of Persian Lyric Poetry

If Persian literature were a garden, the ghazal would be one of its most fragrant, enduring blossoms. Mysterious yet accessible, musical yet profound, the ghazal is a poetic form that has captivated hearts for centuries—across borders, languages, and even religions. From the mystical verses of Hafez to the love-laced lines of Rumi, the ghazal has become the soul of Persian lyric poetry.

But what is a ghazal exactly? Where did it come from? And why does it still feel so powerful today?

Let’s dive into the world of this beautiful and timeless form.

What Is a Ghazal?

At its heart, a ghazal (غزل) is a collection of rhyming couplets, each one a self-contained unit of emotion, reflection, or imagery. The word ghazal is derived from Arabic and originally referred to the cry of a gazelle—a symbol of beauty and longing in classical Persian and Arabic poetry.

Each couplet in a ghazal is called a bayt, and typically, a ghazal contains between 5 to 15 couplets. All couplets share the same meter and follow a specific rhyme scheme, usually in the form:

AA, BA, CA, DA... and so on.

The first couplet sets the rhyme and refrain (called radif), and every second line after that must end with the same rhyme and refrain.

Example (simplified in English translation):

I saw the moonlight falling on your face, my love.
It made the night more silent in your grace, my love.

The stars looked down, but …