Page:Lippincotts Monthly Magazine-20.djvu/760
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
756
SELIM.
[Dec.
A trouble which hung on the aspect of Selim
Fell dark on his king,
As clouds 'twixt the sun and the sand-billowed ocean
Their dusky shapes fling.
Fell dark on his king,
As clouds 'twixt the sun and the sand-billowed ocean
Their dusky shapes fling.
"O friend of my heart!" quoth the caliph, "what sorrow
Lies deep in thy breast?"
And Selim, replying, the source of his anguish
Thus humbly confessed:
Lies deep in thy breast?"
And Selim, replying, the source of his anguish
Thus humbly confessed:
"Great lord of my being! life trembles and quivers
With fulness of joy:
The rays of my hopes are as gold in my pathway,
Undimmed by alloy;
With fulness of joy:
The rays of my hopes are as gold in my pathway,
Undimmed by alloy;
"Thy banners float far on the breezes of India,
Thy counsels are wise;
The thoughts of thy valor and strength to thy people
As light to their eves;
Thy counsels are wise;
The thoughts of thy valor and strength to thy people
As light to their eves;
"Yet still, in the midst of thy glory and power,
Thou deignest to rest
Thy soul on the soul of thy servant, whom daily
Thy favors have blest,
Thou deignest to rest
Thy soul on the soul of thy servant, whom daily
Thy favors have blest,
"Till he who once couched on his sheepskin reposes
On cushions of down,
And holds a fair wife in his arms who had only
A steed for his own.
On cushions of down,
And holds a fair wife in his arms who had only
A steed for his own.
"Thus over the heaven thy grace has illumined
No shadow appears,
Save one, at whose coming thy servant unworthy
Shrinks, falters and fears—
No shadow appears,
Save one, at whose coming thy servant unworthy
Shrinks, falters and fears—
"The shadow of Azraël, angel of terror,
Surpassingly strong,
The roar of whose onrushing wings soundeth louder
Than laughter or song;
Surpassingly strong,
The roar of whose onrushing wings soundeth louder
Than laughter or song;
"Till I, even I, from the conflict of battle,
The scimitar's sweep,
Turn cowering, fearful of glory's last service
And manhood’s best sleep.
The scimitar's sweep,
Turn cowering, fearful of glory's last service
And manhood’s best sleep.
"Behold! now the heart of thy servant is open,
And bare to thy view."
Then slowly the caliph replied, while his gaze sought
The firmament blue:
And bare to thy view."
Then slowly the caliph replied, while his gaze sought
The firmament blue:
"Dread Prophet of Allah! thou knowest my spirit,
My heart and my life;
Thou knowest the desolate years of my manhood,
Their unended strife;
My heart and my life;
Thou knowest the desolate years of my manhood,
Their unended strife;