“Late, by myself, in the boat of myself,no light and no land anywhere,cloudcover thick. I try to stayjust above the surface, yet I'm already underand living within the ocean.”

Jalaluddin Rumi was a 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic. His works, including the *Masnavi* and *Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi*, blend spiritual insight with vivid imagery, exploring love, divine unity, and human connection. The *Masnavi* remains a cornerstone of Sufi literature, celebrated for its poetic depth and philosophical richness.