In my paper I wish to discuss the fascinating practice of inscribing poetry on objects, a practice that was prevalent among a group of courtiers and other members of the elite in ?Abb?sid society, known as the ?uraf?? (“the refined ones”). The ?uraf?? conducted themselves according to a strict etiquette governing their dress, posture, speech, and even smell, all of which distinguished them from non-?uraf??. This etiquette (?arf) reached its peak around the ?Abb?sid court in 8th-9th-century Baghdad, but soon spread to other Islamic courts, from Aleppo to al-Andalus. As part of the ?arf etiquette, ?uraf?? would inscribed poetic verses on a variety of objects from garments (shirts, hats, bands, shoes and sandals), rings, musical instruments, wine vessels to apples. They also inscribed poetry on their own bodies, notably on the forehead and cheek. Many of these inscribed objects were used as presents by one ?ar?f to another. I would like to investigate this practice of inscribing poetry on objects as a unique way of “performing” poetry. In this “refined” practice, poetry was not recited aloud, but rather given a voice by virtue of its physical display in space. When given as presents, poetry-decorated objects served as a “refined” way of communication, often between a lover and his/her beloved. A lover would send his beloved a gift bearing an encoded message in verse, and she/he would respond with a gift bearing his/her own message. Unlike a more conventional correspondence between lovers (including in verse), which is essentially private, the use of objects inscribed with verses added a public dimension to the communication. The private correspondence was soon on public display when the recipient of the object would put the object to use. A major source for my investigation is Kit?b al-muwashsh? (also known as al-?arf wa-l-?uraf??) by Ab? ?ayyib al-Washsh?? (d. 937). The work is one of the richest sources on ?arf culture and its etiquette. I also use a later source, Ma??li? al-bud?r by ?Al?? al-D?n al-Ghuz?l? (1412).