Hafez Ghazal 1 in English: Love Seemed Easy at First

"Love seemed easy at first then the difficulties came." Six hundred years ago in Shiraz, Hafez opened his Divan with this confession, and it has been consoling lovers ever since. In this episode of Persian Poetry Caravan, we begin our journey through Hafez, also known as Hafiz, with the first ghazal of his Divan, read in clear, modern English. This famous Persian poem begins with love appearing easy, before revealing difficulty, longing, surrender, and the storm of the heart. Hafez speaks of the beloved, the tavern, the dark night, the waves, and the journey of the lover — a calm poetic narration followed by a gentle reflection. No background in Persian poetry is needed. Only a quiet moment. This ghazal, with thirty-nine more, appears in our book The Rose and the Tavern: 40 Timeless Ghazals of Hafez — available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. If Hafez has ever moved you, a short honest review there helps other readers find him. For listeners who enjoy Persian poetry, Sufi poetry, spiritual poetry, Hafez, Hafiz, Rumi, and timeless literature in English. Follow Persian Poetry Caravan so the next poem finds you