Abstract

One of the fundamental components of cognitive semantics is the use of image schemas, a concept introduced by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. Image schemas aim to conceptualize abstract and mental notions through embodied experience, reflecting the interaction between language, cognition, and physical and social reality. Among the most prominent types of image schemas are the container, path, and force schemas.
This study adopts a cognitive-analytical approach to examine the metaphorical usage of two key human organs—*the eye* and *the heart*—in the poetry of the renowned classical Kurdish poet, Mahwi. Through these bodily references, Mahwi constructs profound cognitive and spiritual meanings.
The findings reveal that Mahwi frequently employs the container schema, portraying the eye and heart as vessels that preserve human emotions such as hope, anxiety, longing, and sorrow. Simultaneously, he utilizes the path schema to illustrate the dynamic relationship between the lover and the beloved, framing the eye and heart as channels for mutual emotional movement. Additionally, the force schema is applied metaphorically to express the poet’s experience with struggle, pain, and internal resistance. Through these image schemas, Mahwi succeeds in crafting rich poetic imagery that connects physical embodiment with abstract cognition