Metaphorical Analysis

In Chapter 37, Poem 10 of Mokhtar Nameh, Attar of Nishapur utilizes a rich array of classical Persian poetic conceits to describe the beloved's beauty, focusing on the newly sprouted facial down (khatt):

• The Parrot of the Pistachio Down (طوطی خط فستقی): The green, fresh down on the beloved's face is compared to a green parrot. The adjective fostqi (pistachio-colored or pale green) reinforces this imagery.
• The Jujube and Sugar (عناب و شکر): The beloved's red lips are compared to onnab (jujube fruit), and their sweetness is likened to sugar (shakar). Parrots in Persian lore are famously fond of sugar, making the imagery of the green parrot (down) encircling the sugar (lips) highly harmonious and traditional.
• The Moon and Musk (قمر و مشک): The beloved's face is the radiant moon (qamar), while the dark, fragrant hair (tresses) is likened to black musk (moshk) that 'grasps' or covers the moon, representing a cosmic envelopment of...