A Comparative Study of the Theme of Love in the Poems of Yahya Samavi and Ahmad Azizi

Love is one of the most important themes in poetry, as it originates from human emotions and serves as a bond between people. A comparative study of love in the poems of Yahya Samavi and Ahmed Azizi, aimed at understanding the romantic expressions of these poets and gaining deeper insight into their work, offers a fresh perspective in the field of comparative literature. The research method employed is descriptive-analytical, relying on primary sources such as the poets' divans. Since Yahya Samavi and Ahmad Azizi, both contemporary poets, hold similar positions in the cultures of Iraq and Iran, love is a prominent theme in their poetry. This research aims to compare the theme of love based on the perspectives of these poets, focusing on common elements such as the portrayal of the beloved, the characteristics and shared conditions of the lover and the beloved, as well as their differences. The study follows the American school of comparative literature, which does not consider influence and interaction as prerequisites, and seeks to explore the poets' distinct approaches to thought and lyricism. The results of this research show that the lovers of these poets in the homeland, the family of the Prophet (PBUH), mothers, and women, were prominently featured. In these romances, themes and characteristics such as separation, pride, intoxication, and passion are evident. We also observe continuity in love, honesty, loyalty, the satisfaction of the beloved, and partnership with them.
Introduction
Comparative literature is a significant branch of literary criticism that involves the evaluation of works, elements, styles, periods, movements, and literary figures. It broadly encompasses the comparison of literature across two or more different cultures and languages. The delightful discourse on love is both pleasant to hear and pleasing to the ear. However, despite its charm, love remains an inexplicable riddle beyond anyone’s full intellectual grasp. Everyone, according to their own perspective, has spoken about the nature and definition of love and has recounted its unique story in various ways. In any case, love is the springtime of existence’s seasons—a spring to which autumn has no path. The seedling of love grows beside the stream of life, nourished by its waters, flourishing and bearing fruit. Its greenery, joy, and freshness never diminish, not even slightly. The composition of romantic poems and the inclination toward ghazal writing stem from the lover’s affection for the beloved, intertwined with poetic imagination. Love is a prominent theme in the poetry of Yahya Samawi and Ahmad Azizi, playing a central role. This study aims to comparatively examine the theme of love in the works of these two poets and identify potential similarities and differences.

Methods

The study of love poems as dynamic works within the poetry of Yahya Samawi and Ahmad Azizi is of great significance, as this genre plays a central role in the divans of these two contemporary poets but has received limited scholarly attention. This research aims to introduce these two modern Arab and Persian poets and to identify common themes and characteristics by analyzing and comparing their ghazals and love poems.
This research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach based on the "American school," which does not require mutual influence between two poets as a prerequisite for comparative literature. It aims to examine the concept of love in the poetry of Yahya Samawi and Ahmad Azizi. According to this perspective, the goal of comparative literature is to study a literary phenomenon by comparing one literature with one or more others, or by comparing literature with other fields of knowledge such as the fine arts, philosophy, and so forth, in order to identify relationships and shared intellectual and imaginative elements. Thus, comparisons can be made even in the absence of any direct or indirect historical connection.

Results and Discussion
The discourse on love transcends time and place. Love, as a pure and cherished emotion, perhaps holds a special place in the hearts of poets and artists more than anyone else. This concept of love is a prominent theme in the poetry of two influential poets from Persian and Arabic literature: Ahmad Azizi and Yahya Samawi.
The beloved figures of the two poets are represented in the forms of the homeland, the Prophet’s Household (peace be upon him), the mother, and love for women. They have crafted these beloved figures by drawing upon both divine and sensory sources.
Among the shared themes and descriptions of love in the poetry of Yahya Samawi and Ahmad Azizi are love as a teacher, attraction, the beloved’s approval, sincerity, and more.
The two poets differ in their treatment of love in terms of content. For example, regarding quantity, the Iraqi poet’s love poems do not match those of Ahmad Azizi. Moreover, Yahya Samawi’s primary beloved is the homeland, whereas in Azizi’s poetry, this beloved is the Prophet’s Household (peace be upon him). Consequently, Azizi’s works contain more mystical elements, including religious allusions and Sufi and mystical concepts and terms, compared to Yahya Samawi’s. Another difference between Ahmad Azizi’s love poems and those of Yahya Samawi is that Azizi’s compositions are rich with themes and concepts of Shiite Islam; the Kermanshahi poet shows a strong affinity for his religion. Although some of these concepts also appear in Samawi’s poetry, they are far less prevalent than in Azizi’s works.
Conclusion

The present research, while introducing these two contemporary Arab and Persian poets, sought to identify examples and shared aspects by analyzing their ghazals and comparing them. In light of the results obtained, it can be said that the beloveds of Samawi and Azizi are manifested in the homeland, the Prophet’s Household (peace be upon him), the mother, and love for woman; and in the love poems of the two poets, we find shared themes and features such as separation, pride, intoxication and ecstasy, continuity in love, sincerity and loyalty, the beloved’s approval, and so on.
Ghazal-writing: composing lyric love poetry.