I’m Persian and among all the amazing poets, there is one that I love.

Maulana Rumi was a Persian philosopher, theologian, poet, teacher, and founder of the Mevlevi (or Mawlawi) order of Sufism; also known as Mevlana (Our Guide), Jalaluddin Rumi, or simply Rumi. His poems have been widely translated into many of the world's languages and transposed into various formats. Rumi has been described as the "most popular poet and the "best selling poet" in the United States. Rumi's works are written mostly in Persian, but occasionally he also used Turkish, Arabic, and Greek.

One of his famous poems is called “Say Nothing”, and I find it very close to my soul. For a long time I was thinking of painting something that illustrates this lovely poem which you can read below:

I am the slave of the moon.
Speak only of the moon.

In my presence,
Speak of candles and sweets.
Do not speak of pain,
Speak of treasures…
Ignore this absence of news --
Say nothing.

Last night, I went stark raving mad.
Love saw me and said:
“Here I am! Stop howling,
Stop rending your garments --
Say nothing.”

I answered: “Alas, love,
It is something other that I fear!”
He said:
“This other thing is no more --
Say nothing.”

“I shall whisper secret words in your ear.
Move your head to say yes.
Just your head -- and
Say nothing.”

I said:
« This face is that of an angel or a man…”
He said:
“Neither angel nor man --
Say nothing.”

I said: “What is it? Tell me.
Shall I be shattered much?”
He said: “Be as such --
Say nothing.”

O, you who live in this place
Full of design and illusion,
Rise and leave this house. Go!
Pack your things -- and
Say nothing!”

من غلام قمرم غير قمر هيچ مگو پيش من جز سخن شمع و شکر هيچ مگو
سخن رنج مگو جز سخن گنج مگو ور از اين بي خبري رنج مبر هيچ مگو
دوش ديوانه شدم عشق مرا ديد و بگفت آمدم نعره مزن جامه مدر هيچ مگو
گفتم اي عشق من از چيز دگر مي ترسم گفت آن چيز دگر نيست دگر هيچ مگو
من به گوش تو سخن هاي نهان خواهم گفت سر بجنبان که بلي جز که به سر هيچ مگو
قمري جان صفتي در ره دل پيدا شد در ره دل چه لطيف است سفر هيچ مگو
گفتم اي دل چه مه ست اين دل اشارت مي کرد که نه اندازه توست اين بگذر هيچ مگو
گفتم اين روي فرشته ست عجب يا بشر است گفت اين غير فرشته ست و بشر هيچ مگو
گفتم اين چيست بگو زير و زبر خواهم شد گفت مي باش چنين زير و زبر هيچ مگو
اي نشسته تو در اين خانه پرنقش و خيال خيز از اين خانه برو رخت ببر هيچ مگو
گفتم اي دل پدري کن نه که اين وصف خداست گفت اين هست ولي جان پدر هيچ مگو

In the painting, there is a red text which means “Nothing” in Persian. I tried to write the poem with small font in different parts of the painting as well.