5 Bits of Love by Middle Eastern Writers and Poets

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we wanted to share a few of our favorite love poems, both old and new, by Middle Eastern authors and poets. We hope that you choose to celebrate love, in all of its infinite beauty, every day and always.

1) Oh, my love

If you were at the level of my madness,
You would cast away your jewelry,
Sell all your bracelets,
And sleep in my eyes.

―Hafez

2) Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.―Khalil Gibran 

3) “The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along. ―Rumi

4) What is the root of all these words?
One thing: Love.
But a love so deep and sweet it needed to express itself with scents, sounds, colors that never before existed.”
―Hafez, The Gift 

5) This sad heart of mine and burning incense?
music of harp and lyre in a prayer-hall?
this empty space and such flights?
this silent night and so much song?
your gaze is like a magic lullaby, sweet love,
a cradle for restless babies.
your breathing is a breeze half-asleep
washing down all my tremors of anguish;
it is hidden in the smiles of my tomorrows,
it has sunken deep into the depths of my worlds.

You have touched me with the frenzy of poetry;
pouring fire into my songs,
kindling my heart with the fever of love,
thus setting all my poems ablaze, sweet love.

―Forough Farrokhzad, Love Song 

Do you have any favorite poems written by Middle Eastern poets? Let us know in the comments below and we will add them to this list!