A Study on the Structure of Saqiname (Drinking Song)

In an overall view, Saqiname (drinking song) and Moghaninameh can be considered as a tavern lyric were particularly a dominant genre from 9th to 12th centuries (A.H.). The more elaborate and complete forms of this genre were composed as rhymed couplets (akin to heroic couplet). This type of poetry would allow the poet to express the forbidden thoughts of his time under the pretence of ecstasy caused by wine drinking. The invocation of wine, tavern, and cup-bearer (Saqi) might also be a kind of denunciation of what he considered as rigmarole. From this perspective, Sakinameh is a social, idealistic and even rebellious poem. The aim in this article is to define and examine the structure, characteristics, and background material of this genre. Considering its precedent in Persian poetry, then two samples, a classic one (from Zuhuri Turshiz, due to the elaborate ad complete structure of his poem) and a modern one (from Hooshang Ebtehaj, the Iranian contemporary poet) will be compared and studied.