I don’t need
a companion who is
nasty sad and sour

the one who is
like a grave
dark depressing and bitter

a sweetheart is a mirror
a friend a delicious cake
it isn’t worth spending
an hour with anyone else

a companion who is
in love only with the self
has five distinct characters

stone hearted
unsure of every step

lazy and disinterested
keeping a poisonous face

the more this companion waits around
the more bitter everything will get
just like a vinegar
getting more sour with time

enough is said about
sour and bitter faces

a heart filled with desire for
sweetness and tender souls
must not waste itself with unsavory matters

- Rumi

Translated by Nader Khalili
Rumi, Fountain of Fire Cal-Earth, September 1994