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A ghazal is a poetic form originating in Iran in the 6th century AD, consisting of 5-15 rhyming couplets with a refrain. It’s often used to express themes of love and loss and can be recited, spoken or sung in any language.
A ghazal is a type of poetic form. This form originated in Iran in the 6th century AD and spread throughout the Middle East and as far south as Southeast Asia. Ghazals can be recited, spoken or sung, with many Persian and Middle Eastern folk singers performing ghazals as part of their repertoire. Some Sufi poets have also explored this form, and while classical ghazals are usually in Arabic or Persian, this form can be used in any language.
The rules of the ghazal form are quite simple. A ghazal includes a set of no more than 15 and no fewer than five rhyming couplets known as shers. Traditionally, each sher is like a miniature poem in itself, and the second line of each sher in a ghazal includes a refrain, which may consist of one or more words. The refrain is known as the “radif”. As a general rule, the meter of a ghazal remains consistent throughout the poem.
Depending on how poets use the radif, the rhyming scene of a ghazal can vary. It can be, for example, in the form of AA BA CA DA EA and so on, in the form of AA AA AA AA AA, or poets can play with other rhymes, such as AA BA AA CA AA. The rhyme scheme is generally adjusted to suit the needs of the poet and the radif, and the composer of a ghazal may also think about how the poem will sound when sung or spoken when considering the rhyme scheme.
Traditionally, ghazals are used for the themes of love and loss. Often a ghazal describes unattainable, absent or separated love. While people may use this form for other themes, such works are not, strictly speaking, true ghazals, because they lack the traditional ghazal thematic framework. Thanks to the clear but flexible rules of the ghazal, poets can express themselves in various ways with this poetic form.
Many classical Middle Eastern writers wrote ghazals, and the form continues to be used widely today. The language of the ghazals tends to be simple and clear, yet haunting, reminding the reader of themes such as suffering, loss and love. Works of Arabic poetry often include some excellent examples of this poetic form, and ghazals are also regularly performed throughout the Middle East, both in private homes and in public places.
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