Hafiz and the Religion of Love in Classical Persian Poetry

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occasionallylaybarethepoliticalcontextofthisorthatghazalorline,buttellus
nothingabouttheunvaryingphilosophicalsubtextofallḤāfiẓ’spoems,whichis
love.Eroshispolis,notShīrāz;Eros,theobjectofhispraise,notthecourtofany
princeorvizier:

YouknowIneverdidonceperuse

ThosetalesofAlexanderorDarius,

Sodon’teveraskmereciteelse

Butthewordsoffaithandlove.^259

ḤāfiẓandtheReligionofLoveinClassicalPersianPoetry