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Quotes by Iranian Authors

"My mind is a warehouse of carefully organized human emotions.I lock away the things that do not serve me."
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Tahereh Mafi
"My mind is a warehouse of carefully organized human emotions.I lock away the things that do not serve me."
"I peek up at his features, at the crooked grin i want to savor, at the color in his eyes i'd use to paint a million pictures."
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Tahereh Mafi
"I peek up at his features, at the crooked grin i want to savor, at the color in his eyes i'd use to paint a million pictures."
"Maybe I was crazy to consider it, but I'd always hoped that if I were a good enough girl, if I did everything right, if I said the right things or said nothing at all-I thought my parents would change their minds. I thought they would finally listen when I tried to talk. I thought they would give me a chance. I thought they might finally love me. I always had that stupid hope."
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Tahereh Mafi
"Maybe I was crazy to consider it, but I'd always hoped that if I were a good enough girl, if I did everything right, if I said the right things or said nothing at all-I thought my parents would change their minds. I thought they would finally listen when I tried to talk. I thought they would give me a chance. I thought they might finally love me. I always had that stupid hope."
"Is it possible to love someone and then stop loving them? I don't think I even know what love is."
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Tahereh Mafi
"Is it possible to love someone and then stop loving them? I don't think I even know what love is."
"I will speak of love until you go mad and join me in my mad worship of love."
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Kamand Kojouri
"I will speak of love until you go mad and join me in my mad worship of love."
"I love you," I whisper. "I love you exactly as you are."
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Tahereh Mafi
"I love you," I whisper. "I love you exactly as you are."
"Laughter comes from living." I shrug, try to sound indifferent. "I've never really been alive before."
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Tahereh Mafi
"Laughter comes from living." I shrug, try to sound indifferent. "I've never really been alive before."
"So,' he says. 'When's the big day? Have you set a date yet?''What?' I startle. 'For what?''For the day you're going to stop being such a dumbass,' he says shooting me a sharp look.'Oh.' I cringe. Kick at the air. 'Yeah, that'll probably never happen.''Yeah, you're probably right.''Shut up."
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Tahereh Mafi
"So,' he says. 'When's the big day? Have you set a date yet?''What?' I startle. 'For what?''For the day you're going to stop being such a dumbass,' he says shooting me a sharp look.'Oh.' I cringe. Kick at the air. 'Yeah, that'll probably never happen.''Yeah, you're probably right.''Shut up."
"1,320 seconds walk into the room before he does."
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Tahereh Mafi
"1,320 seconds walk into the room before he does."
"And maybe if I can find a way to stop being scared, I'll actually figure out how to make friends. To be strong. To stop wallowing in my own problems."
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Tahereh Mafi
"And maybe if I can find a way to stop being scared, I'll actually figure out how to make friends. To be strong. To stop wallowing in my own problems."
"Selfish needs, wants, and desires needed to be obliterated. Greed, overindulgence, and gluttony had to be expunged from human behavior. The solution was in self-control, in minimalism, in sparse living conditions; one simple and a brand-new dictionary filled with words everyone would understand."
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Tahereh Mafi
"Selfish needs, wants, and desires needed to be obliterated. Greed, overindulgence, and gluttony had to be expunged from human behavior. The solution was in self-control, in minimalism, in sparse living conditions; one simple and a brand-new dictionary filled with words everyone would understand."
"They filled our world with weapons aimed at foreheads and smiled as they shot 16 candles right through our future. They killed those strong enough to fight back and locked up the freaks who failed to live up to their utopian expectations."
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Tahereh Mafi
"They filled our world with weapons aimed at foreheads and smiled as they shot 16 candles right through our future. They killed those strong enough to fight back and locked up the freaks who failed to live up to their utopian expectations."
"All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart."
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Tahereh Mafi
"All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart."
"Of course I remember you." My voice is a strangled whisper. I squeeze my eyes shut. "You were the only one who ever looked at me like a human being."
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Tahereh Mafi
"Of course I remember you." My voice is a strangled whisper. I squeeze my eyes shut. "You were the only one who ever looked at me like a human being."
"At least I'm honest about being a liar."
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Tahereh Mafi
"At least I'm honest about being a liar."
"I felt the tears streak down my cheeks but I wasn't crying."
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Tahereh Mafi
"I felt the tears streak down my cheeks but I wasn't crying."
"The words get easier the moment you stop fearing them."
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Tahereh Mafi
"The words get easier the moment you stop fearing them."
"There is nothing to fear. Nothing to worry about. Grieve nothing in this transitory world," he says softly."
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Tahereh Mafi
"There is nothing to fear. Nothing to worry about. Grieve nothing in this transitory world," he says softly."
"She could see all of Ferenwood from here: the rolling hills, the endless explosion of color cascading down and across the lush landscape. Reds and blues: Maroon and ceruleans. Yellow and tangerine and violet and aquamarine. Every hue held a flavor, a heartbeat, a life. She took a deep breath and drew it all in."
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Tahereh Mafi
"She could see all of Ferenwood from here: the rolling hills, the endless explosion of color cascading down and across the lush landscape. Reds and blues: Maroon and ceruleans. Yellow and tangerine and violet and aquamarine. Every hue held a flavor, a heartbeat, a life. She took a deep breath and drew it all in."
"How strange that we can go from friends to inseparable to hateful then casual all in one lifetime."
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Tahereh Mafi
"How strange that we can go from friends to inseparable to hateful then casual all in one lifetime."
"Mother often said that she could never be bothered to understand why Alice did the things she did, and now, more than ever, Alice thought never being bothered was a very lazy way to love someone."
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Tahereh Mafi
"Mother often said that she could never be bothered to understand why Alice did the things she did, and now, more than ever, Alice thought never being bothered was a very lazy way to love someone."
"The first writing of the human being was drawing, not writing."
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Marjane Satrapi
"The first writing of the human being was drawing, not writing."
"O, weary angels, don't look at me with those eyes.If that is your state then what of our cries?What can I tell you of goodness that you don't already know?What can I tell you of faith,of hope and lovethat you yourselves bestow?O, angels, don't pluck another feather,this isn't the sky, it's just the weather.Please, angels, try.We are one all together.Look up and listen, I'll say it once and then put down my pen:We are sorry for our ignoranceand even though we are worldly,it might happen again.We are sorry for your wearinessand even though you aren't worldly,we are no more than human."
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Kamand Kojouri
"O, weary angels, don't look at me with those eyes.If that is your state then what of our cries?What can I tell you of goodness that you don't already know?What can I tell you of faith,of hope and lovethat you yourselves bestow?O, angels, don't pluck another feather,this isn't the sky, it's just the weather.Please, angels, try.We are one all together.Look up and listen, I'll say it once and then put down my pen:We are sorry for our ignoranceand even though we are worldly,it might happen again.We are sorry for your wearinessand even though you aren't worldly,we are no more than human."
"I remember it so well. Dying. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I couldn't scream because my lungs were torn apart or full of blood. I don't know. I just had to lie there, trying to breathe, hoping to drop dead as quickly as possible. And the whole time, the whole time I kept thinking about how I'd spent my entire life being a coward, and how it got me nowhere. And I knew that if I had the chance to do it all again, I'd do it differently. I promised myself I'd finally stop being afraid."
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Tahereh Mafi
"I remember it so well. Dying. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I couldn't scream because my lungs were torn apart or full of blood. I don't know. I just had to lie there, trying to breathe, hoping to drop dead as quickly as possible. And the whole time, the whole time I kept thinking about how I'd spent my entire life being a coward, and how it got me nowhere. And I knew that if I had the chance to do it all again, I'd do it differently. I promised myself I'd finally stop being afraid."
"I have to get out of this room as soon as possible, or my own thoughts will wage war against me."
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Tahereh Mafi
"I have to get out of this room as soon as possible, or my own thoughts will wage war against me."
"He knows all my thoughts. He knows all I've ever done and He loves me all the same. What is our purpose, you ask. It is to love like God."
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Kamand Kojouri
"He knows all my thoughts. He knows all I've ever done and He loves me all the same. What is our purpose, you ask. It is to love like God."
"Make no mistake about it. We are born blind, deaf, and mute. It is neither these eyes that give us sight, nor these ears that give us sound. It is not even these lips that give us voice. It is only love. Love makes us seek beauty and truth. Love yearns to connect. To experience. To understand. So close your eyes at once. Don't utter a word. Perk up your ears and listen to that silent sound inside you where all this is found."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Make no mistake about it. We are born blind, deaf, and mute. It is neither these eyes that give us sight, nor these ears that give us sound. It is not even these lips that give us voice. It is only love. Love makes us seek beauty and truth. Love yearns to connect. To experience. To understand. So close your eyes at once. Don't utter a word. Perk up your ears and listen to that silent sound inside you where all this is found."
"Autumn is hereand I am in love.My heart has taken residence in my mind.I pick the crisp ochre leaves and put them in my pocket.I am in love."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Autumn is hereand I am in love.My heart has taken residence in my mind.I pick the crisp ochre leaves and put them in my pocket.I am in love."
"Love fills the infinite."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Love fills the infinite."
"I never thought it would get this bad. I never thought the Reestablishment would take things so far. They're incinerating culture, the beauty of diversity. The new citizens of our world will be reduced to nothing but numbers, easily interchangeable, easily removable, easily destroyed for disobedience.We have lost our humanity."
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Tahereh Mafi
"I never thought it would get this bad. I never thought the Reestablishment would take things so far. They're incinerating culture, the beauty of diversity. The new citizens of our world will be reduced to nothing but numbers, easily interchangeable, easily removable, easily destroyed for disobedience.We have lost our humanity."
"She might not have read many books. But when she reads a book, she swallows the very words. If you open the books on her shelves, you will find that the front and back covers encase white pages."
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Kamand Kojouri
"She might not have read many books. But when she reads a book, she swallows the very words. If you open the books on her shelves, you will find that the front and back covers encase white pages."
"I touch the tip of my finger to his lips. "There are secrets in here," I say. "I want them out."He tries to bite my finger.I steal it back."
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Tahereh Mafi
"I touch the tip of my finger to his lips. "There are secrets in here," I say. "I want them out."He tries to bite my finger.I steal it back."
"Know this: whenever you think of leaving, a part of you has already left. But it's never too late to get it back."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Know this: whenever you think of leaving, a part of you has already left. But it's never too late to get it back."
"For me,you are fresh waterthat falls from treeswhen it has stopped raining. For me, you are cinnamon that lingers on the tongue and givesbitter wordssweetening.For me, you are the scent of violins and visionof valleys smiling.And still,for me, your loveliness never ends.It traverses the worldand finds its way back to me.Only me."
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Kamand Kojouri
"For me,you are fresh waterthat falls from treeswhen it has stopped raining. For me, you are cinnamon that lingers on the tongue and givesbitter wordssweetening.For me, you are the scent of violins and visionof valleys smiling.And still,for me, your loveliness never ends.It traverses the worldand finds its way back to me.Only me."
"Truth is unoriginal."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Truth is unoriginal."
"Beauty is the manifestation of love."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Beauty is the manifestation of love."
"I only wrote prose before I met you. My musings were superfluous and serious as well. But now the words dance with me. I sing with them and we create poetry."
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Kamand Kojouri
"I only wrote prose before I met you. My musings were superfluous and serious as well. But now the words dance with me. I sing with them and we create poetry."
"Do you never get exhausted being so wholly unbearable?"
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Tahereh Mafi
"Do you never get exhausted being so wholly unbearable?"
"Tell me where the swans go in the winterI need to know if the mute ones can sing.Tell me why stars fall from the skyI need to know if it is luck they bring.Tell me why feathers land near youI need to know if you've injured your wing.Now, tell me where you end, my angelFor I no longer know where I begin."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Tell me where the swans go in the winterI need to know if the mute ones can sing.Tell me why stars fall from the skyI need to know if it is luck they bring.Tell me why feathers land near youI need to know if you've injured your wing.Now, tell me where you end, my angelFor I no longer know where I begin."
"Do not be frightened, friend. Let us dance our way to God."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Do not be frightened, friend. Let us dance our way to God."
"Are you out of your goddamn mind? You think we can take on two hundred soldiers? I know I am an extremely attractive man, J, but I am not Bruce Lee."Who's Bruce Lee?"Who's Bruce Lee? Kenji asks, horrified. "Oh my God. We can't even be friends anymore."Why? Was he a friend of yours?"You know what, he says, "just stop. Just-I can't even talk to you right now."
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Tahereh Mafi
"Are you out of your goddamn mind? You think we can take on two hundred soldiers? I know I am an extremely attractive man, J, but I am not Bruce Lee."Who's Bruce Lee?"Who's Bruce Lee? Kenji asks, horrified. "Oh my God. We can't even be friends anymore."Why? Was he a friend of yours?"You know what, he says, "just stop. Just-I can't even talk to you right now."
"Remember to forget yourself."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Remember to forget yourself."
"I write to understand what I know."
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Kamand Kojouri
"I write to understand what I know."
"Enjoy this moment. The ultimate fulfilment of the dream will not come close to the dream. Enjoy it."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Enjoy this moment. The ultimate fulfilment of the dream will not come close to the dream. Enjoy it."
"His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he says, "I think," he says, "my heart is going to explode," and I wish, more than ever, that I knew how to capture moments like these and revisit them forever. Because this.This is everything."
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Tahereh Mafi
"His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he says, "I think," he says, "my heart is going to explode," and I wish, more than ever, that I knew how to capture moments like these and revisit them forever. Because this.This is everything."
"Love is our religion. Love is our light. It is the only thing that gives us any hope."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Love is our religion. Love is our light. It is the only thing that gives us any hope."
"Sit here, so I may writeyou into a poem and make you eternal."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Sit here, so I may writeyou into a poem and make you eternal."
"Reading poetry is like undressing before a bath. You don't undress out of fear that your clothes will become wet. You undress because you want the water to touch you. You want to completely immerse yourself in the feeling of the water and to emerge anew."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Reading poetry is like undressing before a bath. You don't undress out of fear that your clothes will become wet. You undress because you want the water to touch you. You want to completely immerse yourself in the feeling of the water and to emerge anew."
"The Sun is an arrogant thing, always leaving the world behind when it tires of us. The Moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It's always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Everyday it's a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of life. The Moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections."
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Tahereh Mafi
"The Sun is an arrogant thing, always leaving the world behind when it tires of us. The Moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It's always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Everyday it's a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of life. The Moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections."
"Sometimes a writer simply finds new ways of saying what has already been said because, ultimately, truth is unoriginal."
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Kamand Kojouri
"Sometimes a writer simply finds new ways of saying what has already been said because, ultimately, truth is unoriginal."
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