Iranian Poets   Ferdowsi Hakim Abul-Ghassem Ferdowsi Toussi (940-1020 A.D.) is the unrivaled master of the Persian language. He is Iran's greatest epic poet and one of the great writers of epics in the world. Many critics consider him the best and the most eminent poet of the Persian language. Born in Toos (Khorassan Province) he was well off during his life but gradually lost his wealth and suffered poverty during his old age and senility. His everlasting masterpiece, Shahnameh, is among the greatest epic poems in the world literature. According to his own words, he took Abu-Manssouri's Shahnameh, which was written in prose, and rewrote it in the form of poems. It took him 30 long years to convert the prose into poetry.           Ferdowsi's Shahnameh not only is the greatest collection of pithy poems during Samani and Ghaznavi dynasties but also is the treasury of the Persian vocabulary written eloquently. This masterpiece contains a poetic description of Iranian history, since the oldest days till the invasion of Arabs in the 7th Century consisting of the true history, myths, legends and stories. The history, in an imaginative style and in the form of legends and myths, dexterously and artistically describes the battles of the Iranian troops headed by the Iranian warlord Rostam against the Tooranian troops. Ferdowsi is indeed very skillful in describing and illustrating natural scenery, battlefields, heroes and knights together with their agility and strength. Shahnameh has been very popular through the ages. This fact is illustrated by the fact that every one of the Iranian epic poets and epic writer has been impressed by it till now and has used it as their model. This masterpiece has been entirely translated into Turkish and Arabic language. Jules Mohl translated it into French, Atkinson into English and Pizzi into Italian. Attar   Attar is an outstanding Sufi poet of the 12th and 13th Century. His mysticism played a key role in the creation of his masterpiece, Manteq-o-Tayr. He was born in Neishapur. He was initially a perfume seller like his father (Attar means perfume seller, but nowadays it refers to the seller and specialist of herbal medicine). Later on he was subject to a drastic change, and attracted by a Sufi cult was fascinated by mysticism, One of the Sufi sheikhs of Khorassan was Majdudin Baghdadi, a man highly honored and reverenced. Attar went to him that he might employ himself in study and learning under the spiritual guidance of that illustrious teacher. Attar is indeed one of the greatest mystical poets. His simple and fascinating words are commingled with passion a burning desire, enthusiasm and love. His passionate and tragic words, which are uttered from a lovesick heart, will place mystical facts in a specific manner in the heart of inflammable people.     Lyrics and elegy (ghassideh) in Divan of Attar is rich with wonderful and meticulous mystical context. Attar, like Rumi and Jami, sang using Wine and Beauty indeed as Images to illustrate, not as a Mask to hide, the Divinity he was celebrating. His masterpiece, or crown of Attar's mathnavies (couplets), as mentioned before, is Manteq-o-Tayr, which includes 4600 verses composed in the form of mysteries. This perpetual masterpiece of the Persian literature is indicative of the poet's creative and imaginative mind and his capabilities in utilizing mystical mysteries while expressing the Sufis and mystics' teachings. The poet while driving at conclusions through arguments and logical research (and by using allegory, similes and metaphoric phrases) demonstrates his charming and marvelous enthusiasm, skill and passion, which fascinate the reader. Returning to his place of birth, after many journeys, Attar passed away in 1229. His grave is located in the same town.