Yunus Emre—The Turkish Dervish: Selected Poems

YUNUS EMRE: THE TURKISH DERVISH ~SELECTED POEMS~Translation, Introduction Paul SmithYunus Emre (d. 132o) is considered one of the most important Turkish poets having a great influence on Turkish literature from his own time until today. His poems concern divine love as well as human love of the Divine as God and the Perfect Master, Beloved, Friend and human destiny and weakness. Little is known of his life other than he became a Sufi dervish Perfect Master (Qutub). A contemporary of Rumi, it is told the two great souls met: Rumi asked Yunus what he thought of his huge work, the Mesnevi. Yunus said, “Excellent! But I would have done it differently.” Surprised, Rumi asked how. Yunus replied, “I’d have written, ‘I came from the eternal, clothed myself in flesh, took the name Yunus.’” This illustrates his simple approach that has made him loved by many. Here is the largest selection of his poems translated into English mainly in the form of the gazel that he often used. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful, mystical poems. Included… an Introduction on his Life & Times and the Form and History & Function of the gazel and a chapter on Sufism & Poetry, Turkish Poetry and the Turkish Language, Bibliography. Pages 237COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH’S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ’S ‘DIVAN’.“It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all.” Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. “Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith.” Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz’s Divan off by heart. “Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz.” Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 80 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages… including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, ‘Attar, Sana’i, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Baba Farid, Mu’in, Lalla Ded and others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children’s books, plays and screenplays.