Vahshi Bafqi

Kamal al-din (or Shams al-Din Mohammad) known by his pen name Vahshi Bafghi was a Persian poet of the Safavid period. Vahshi was born in the agricultural town of Bafq, southeast of Yazd.

Life

Vahshi was educated in the town of Yazd before moving to Kashan which was a center of literary activity in the Safavid period. He worked as a school teacher before his poetry attracted the attention of the regional governors. From then on his career was one of serving the courts of various regional governors as well as Safavid Rulers.

Work

1)

Vahshi's, Farhad and Shirin, a Persian folklore and romantic story of Sassanid Iran is written in the meter of the Persian poet Nezami's romantic epic Farhad and Shirin. Although the work was left unfinished at the time of Vahshi's death, with the introduction and barely 500 verses of the story completed, it has been recognized as one of the poets most famous masterpieces. Approximately a hundred manuscripts of this famous Persian epic from Vahshi has been catalogued around the world. Two poets from Shiraz, Wesal and Saber, took on the task of completing Vahshi's poem in the 19th century.

2)

Awhadi, the literary executor of Vahshi gathered some 9,000 verses of Vahshi's poetry after his death. They include various Persian forms including Ghazal, Qasida and panegyrics to patrons as well praises of the saints of Shia Islam.

Death

Vahshi according to one account was said to have died in 1583 at the age of 52 in Yazd. He was buried in this city.

Notes

• Vahshi Bafqi Entry at Encyclopedia Iranica

References

• E.G. Browne. Literary History of Persia. (Four volumes, 2,256 pages, and twenty-five years in the writing). 1998. ISBN 0-7007-0406-X
• Jan Rypka, History of Iranian Literature. Reidel Publishing Company. ASIN B-000-6BXVT-K

See also

• List of Persian poets and authors
• Persian literature