Aṣ-Ṣafadī (1297-1363) presents in two different works of his the same choice of poems concerned with the topic of “white hair” (aš-šayb): In his critique on Ḍiyāʾ ad-Dīn Ibn al-Aṯīr’s stile book Nuṣrat aṯ-ṯāʾir ʿalā al-Maṯal as-sāʾir, and in his commentary-anthology Ġayṯ al-musaǧǧam. In my contribution I would like to try to understand what was aṣ-Ṣafadī’s concern here? What are his criteria for putting just these poems together? I will argue that he was especially interested in the rhetorical device of excuse, discussing its features and its relevance for Mamluk literati.