Nizami lived for 63 years. All his life, he never left Ganja and died there. It is said that he was good-natured and he believed that with pleasantness and cheerfulness one can combat the hardships of life (see Farsi poem he wrote in this regard). He was always studying science and art. He knew the science of astronomy and he used its terminology in his poetry skillfully.

He wrote about thirty thousands couplets in five Masnavi (poetry in rhymed couplets) poetry books of "Mahzan-ol-Asrar", "Khosro and Shirin", "Layla and Majnun", "Haft Peykar" (Seven Beauties), "Eskandar Nameh" and he wrote one book which is not Masnavi. He gave each of his masnavi books as a gift to the kings of the time.

** Among his works that have found their way to the West are "Haft Peykar " (Seven Beauties) and "Layla and Manjun."

The "Seven Beauties" refer to seven paintings of seven daughters of kings from India to China to Kharazm. When Bahram, the Sassanian King sees the paintings he falls in love and marries all seven princesses.

"Layla and Manjun" is considered a love story that reveals the path of the soul. It contains 4,000 couplets and was supposedly written in only four months.

Unfortunately the 'stories' are too long to put on this web site but you can buy the books or check your local library for them:

**Layla and Manjun from The First Love Stories by Diane Wolkstein

 

	My whole being is a dark chant , That perpetuating you, Will carry you to the dawn, Of eternal growths and blossoming...... ....I will plant my hands in the garden, I will grow, I know, I know... (By F. Farokh-zad, Persian poet)
	... On my shoulder is a dove that drinks from your mouth, On my shoulder is a dove That refreshes my throat, On my shoulder is a dove, kind and graceful, That talks to me of light, And of Man, who is the god of all deities... My bird of golden song Nests in the foliage of your abode; Sweetheart, put on your best dress, Love is fond of us. With you I follow my dreams in wakefulness, I find my poetry in the truth of your brow. You talk with me of light, and of Man, Who has kinship with all the gods... (By A. Shamlou, Persian poet)
	Tonight I shall go ; Toward the wordless vast which ever calls unto me ; somebody called again : Sohrab!; Where are my shoes?! ..... I have a lot to say to you, Oh Bird! You who sing out of sight. Over the lagoons, green eyes do you fly, or your wings by the spring of apprehension do you wash. Where are you hidden , Oh Bird? ..... Let us steal Life and divide it between two wonders. Let us see everything in the younders. .... A swan is suddenly startled from rest. She cleans her white wings from dust of the Nile. Together with the delicate dance of the reed bed. The lagoon opens her wet eyes white. ...... I peel a pomegranate and say to myself ; Weren't it good if one could see, the seeds of people hearts ; Tears come when the juice splashes in my eyes..... Let us clean our eyes; Let us see in another way; Under the rain, we should see our friends; Under the rain, we should look for love. (By Sohrab Sepehri, Persian poet)