Overview

In Chapter 47, Poem 22 of Farid al-Din Attar's Mokhtar Nameh, the poet employs the classic candle metaphor to articulate the overwhelming and inexpressible nature of love's grief.

Key Themes

• The Candle of Taraz (شمع طراز): The beloved is addressed as the 'candle of Taraz,' a traditional literary trope referring to the city of Taraz, renowned for the beauty of its inhabitants.
• Mutual Burning: The lover compares their state of suffering directly to the burning candle. Just as the candle burns and melts away, the lover remains consumed by the fire of sorrow.
• The Ineffability of Grief: The poet highlights the limitations of language, choosing to 'cut words short' because the profound sorrows of the heart cannot be fully expressed in speech.
• The Long Nights: The sorrow of the heart is described as something that can only be accommodated or revealed during the silent, long nights of separation, where the burning candle serves as a mirror to the ...