A direct, unceremonious gaze, one devoid of politeness and formality, one that might express hostility or anger-- of course that's what the lover wants. It will restore him to life. And/or it will kill him, as in 78,5 (and for that matter, as later in this ghazal, in 21,9 ). The lover demands an unceremonious gaze in words and grammar so plain, straightforward and 'unceremonious' that the effect is amusingly redoubled. Instead, he gets 'dignity-testing' [] shows of negligence and avoidance, as the beloved refuses to vouchsafe him a look. Why are her avoidances 'dignity-testing'? =Because she is doing it sadistically, to torment him, the way a cat plays with a mouse? =Because she is doing it deliberately, according to an actual plan of 'testing', to see how he reacts? =Because he can hardly refrain from humiliating himself by begging for a glance, since it will restore him to life? =Because he is impatiently awaiting the swift, remorseless fatality of a single full look, and he knows he is worthy of a clean death, as in a bullfight? The pleasure of the verse is the ambiguity of both (which leaves open the possibility of cruelty as well as enjoyment) and (which leaves open the question of how the dignity is being tested, and whether deliberately or inadvertently). graphics/gaze.jpg