He was also a fine poet with an opulent imagination. His poetry displays preoccupations similar to those of other urban poets of his time".[129] His pinpoint documentation of asānīd[lower-alpha 35] and meticulous verification of information,[131][132] provided in all his works, embody a truly scholarly character. Usually, in his treatment of a subject or an event, al-Isfahani lets his sources speak, but, occasionally, he voices his evaluation of poems and songs, as well as their creators.[133] When dealing with conflicting reports, al-Isfahani either leaves his readers to decide or issues his judgment as to the most credible account.[134] Yet, he frankly condemns sources whom he holds to be unreliable, for instance, Ibn Khurdādhbih on musicological information and Ibn al-Kalbī on genealogy.[135][136] Indeed, al-Isfahani assesses his source material with a critical eye, while striving to present a more balanced view on his biographeis, by focusing on their merits instead of elaborating on their flaws.[137][138]