I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

The book serves as an accessible introduction to Sufi mysticism. It maps out the stages of the mystic's "path of love"—a journey where personal boundaries dissolve to connect with a larger, divine reality—making classical Middle Eastern wisdom resonant for contemporary audiences.

Hafiz (Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī) was a 14th-century Persian lyric poet revered for verses that celebrate divine love and challenge religious hypocrisy. Daniel Ladinsky, the renderer, is an acclaimed American poet known for bringing Sufi and mystical poetry to the West through several celebrated translations.

• • The poems inside explore the intimate relationship between the individual soul and the Divine, treating God not as a distant ruler, but as a joyful, loving companion. Through witty, lighthearted, and deeply insightful verses, the collection encourages readers to shed worry, embrace life's vibrancy, and awaken to the unconditional love surrounding them.