Poetry
دیوان
Not translated into English
Mir Hotak Popalzai · 1931
Synopsis
The lyric poems of Mir Hotak Popalzai, who signed Afghan, courtier of Timur Shah Durrani. According to the Encyclopaedia Iranica, he writes, like his sovereign, in the manner of Hafez, Saeb and Kalim, the great Persian masters of the ghazal, within a court that generously protects letters.
Context
The Encyclopaedia Iranica names Mir Hotak Popalzai right after Timur Shah, among the poets of the Durrani court who follow the classical manner of the Persian ghazal; the same page mentions the poets who came from Iran to seek the king's protection, Shehab Torshizi and Forughi Esfahani. The same reign sees the capital pass from Kandahar to Kabul, where the court is henceforth held, after the revolt of Peshawar.
Who it is for
Poems in Persian, without translation. It helps to know a little about the classical Persian ghazal and about court life under the Durrani.
Prizes and reception
No known distinction; the encyclopedia ranks him among the poets of the reign, just after the sovereign who protects him.