"For us non-Iranian readers of Hafiz's 14th-century ghazal poems, Iranian

attitudes toward the premier lyric poet in the 1,000-year history of Persian

literature, are almost as intriguing as Hafiz's poetry itself. First is the

inclination of Iranian readers to find deep, spiritual meaning in that poetry.

Second is their personal identification with what they perceive as Hafiz's

philosophy. Third is their linking of Iranian cultural identity with Hafiz's life and works to the point where some educa...