1. GHAZAL
By Amelia and Aisha
Meaning of Ghazal; In Middle Eastern and Indian literature and music. A lyric, poem
with a fixed number of verses and a repeated rhyme, typically on the theme of love,
and normally set to music.
2. Content
• Ghazal is a love poem where a speaker seeks to gain the love & attention of
something else. The details of the poem are unclear. The poem comes across
that the feelings of the speaker are not the same for the object they love.
(Language)
• In each stanza a new image occurs or more images of their love are created
e.g. “arrow flies, the heart is pierced, tattoo me.” and “the serpents tail,
charmer”.
• At the end of each couplet there is the use of rhyming words e.g. “Blow
though me. Then woo me.”
• At the beginning of each line it begins with “If I am” and throughout the poem
the lines begin with “If I”.
3. Language
• At the start of the poem it uses two metaphors “If I am the grass” and “you the
breeze” this use of metaphors is a way for the writer to express her feelings of love
towards the object.
• Also she writes about there love being a natural thing e.g. “Venomous tongue, the
serpent’s tail, charmer, use your charm, weave a spell and subdued me.” and
how she is an animal and not tame. She wants to be charmed like a snake.
• Furthermore the writer talks about “If I rise in the east as you die in the west,
every night renew me.” this shows us that their love will always be there and they
will love each other the same way, always.
4. Image
•The imagery used in the poem is expressed through the use of metaphors, that contain
images of nature.
•The use of natural imagery, “grass” and “breeze” suggests that love is natural, perfect,
simple, tranquil, sweet and open.
•'Ghazal takes both Eastern images of the marketplace, “the sun in bazaars”, and
Western country rivers, “one glimpse of a chine”, and blends them to create an idyllic
sense of home.
5. Structure
•The poem doesn’t have an actual title, “Ghazal” is the name of a specific type of poem.
•The two lines of the couplets do not rhyme but the end of each couplet does, partly
through the repetition of the word "me".
•Each stanza is separate from the rest, so we get lots of different images and ideas. This
makes this poem appear playful but also quite intense.
•The last word in each stanza is the same (at least in sound).
•Also the penultimate word in each stanza rhymes.
•Couplets show single thoughts, separate idea/image in each stanza gives the reader lots
of thoughts in quick succession making the poem very intense (like the speaker’s feelings).
•Ghazal often has the poet’s name in the last stanza (“twice the me” = 2 x me =
meme/Mimi).
•The enjambment makes it sound like the poet is waiting (line 3).
(Enjambment means; the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet,
or stanza).
6. Meaning
• It is about wooing a lover, trying to convince the them of the joys, and good of a
relationship.
• Also Ghazal focuses on a whole relationship, and how they feel about each
other and how well their personalities match.
• Finally Ghazal mentions about how without the love of another they will be
worthless e.g. “I am, if only half the world you are to me”.
7. Ghazal by Mimi Khalvati
If I am the grass and you the breeze, blow
through me.
If I am the rose and you the bird, then woo
me.
If you are the rhyme and I the refrain, don’t
hang on my lips, come and I’ll come too
when you cue me.
If yours is the iron fist in the velvet glove
when the arrow flies, the heart is pierced,
tattoo me.
If mine is the venomous tongue, the
serpent’s tail, charmer, use your charm,
weave a spell and subdue me.
If I am the laurel leaf in your crown, you are
the arms around my bark, arms that never
knew me.
Oh would that I were bark! So old and still
in leaf.
And you, dropping in my shade, dew to
bedew me!
What shape should I take to marry your
own, have you – hawk to my shadow,
moth to my flame – pursue me?
If I rise in the east as you die in the west,
die for my sake, my love, every night
renew me.
If, when it ends, we are just good friends,
be my Friend, muse, lover and guide,
Shamsuddin to my Rumi.
Be heaven and earth to me and I’ll be
twice the me
I am, if only half the world you are to me.
