“A poet is someone who can pour light into a cup, then raise it to nourish your beautiful parched, holy mouth.”

“An awake heart is like a sky that pours light.”

“Your love should never be offered to the mouth of a Stranger / Only to someone who has the valor and daring to cut pieces of their soul off with a knife / Then weave them into a blanket to protect you.”

“There are different wells within your heart.Some fill with each good rain,Others are far too deep for that.In one wellYou have just a few precious cups of water,That "love" is literally something of yourself,It can grow as slow as a diamondIf it is lost.Your loveShould never be offered to the mouth of aStranger,Only to someoneWho has the valor and daringTo cut pieces of their soul off with a knifeThen weave them into a blanketTo protect you.There are different wells within us.Some fill with each good rain,Others are far, far too deepFor that.”

“I KNOW THE WAY YOU CAN GETI know the way you can getWhen you have not had a drink of Love: Your face hardens,Your sweet muscles cramp.Children become concernedAbout a strange look that appears in your eyesWhich even begins to worry your own mirrorAnd nose. Squirrels and birds sense your sadnessAnd call an important conference in a tall tree.They decide which secret code to chantTo help your mind and soul. Even angels fear that brand of madnessThat arrays itself against the worldAnd throws sharp stones and spears intoThe innocentAnd into one's self. O I know the way you can getIf you have not been drinking Love: You might rip apartEvery sentence your friends and teachers say,Looking for hidden clauses. You might weigh every word on a scaleLike a dead fish. You might pull out a ruler to measureFrom every angle in your darknessThe beautiful dimensions of a heart you onceTrusted. I know the way you can getIf you have not had a drink from Love'sHands. That is why all the Great Ones speak ofThe vital needTo keep remembering God,So you will come to know and see HimAs being so PlayfulAnd Wanting,Just Wanting to help. That is why Hafiz says:Bring your cup near me.For all I care aboutIs quenching your thirst for freedom! All a Sane man can ever care aboutIs giving Love!”

“Let's offer flowers, pour a cup of libation,split open the skies and start anew on creation.If the forces of grief invade our lovers' veins,cupbearer and I will wash away this temptation.With rose water we'll mellow crimson wine's bitter cup;we'll sugar the fire to sweeten smoke's emanation.Take this fine lyre, musician, strike up a love song;let's dance, sing all night, go wild in celebration.As dust, 0 West Wind, let us rise to the Heavens,floating free in Creator's glow of elation.If mind desires to return while heart cries to stay,here's a quarrel for love's deliberation.Alas, these words and songs go for naught in this land;come, Hafez, let's create a new generation.”

“There is a Beautiful CreatureLiving in a hole you have dug.So at nightI set fruit and grainsAnd little pots of wine and milkBesides your soft earthen mounds,And I often sing.But still, my dear,You do not come out.I have fallen in love with SomeoneWho hides inside you.We should talk about this problem--Otherwise,I will never leave you alone.”