Wherein he statelily moved to the clink of his chains unre garded, Nowise abashed but contented to drink of the potion awarded. of glory Embroidered with names of the Djinns a miraculous weaving But the cool and perspicuous eye overbore unbelieving. Bound by this man we had bound, amid captives his cap ture Till he returned me to earth and the visions departed. But on him be the Peace and the Blessing; for he was greathearted! THE PUZZLER THE Celt in all his variants from Builth to Bally-hoo, His mental processes are plain-one knows what he will do, And can logically predicate his finish by his start; Their psychology is bovine, their outlook crude and raw. They convert into a weaver's beam to break their foeman's head with. For undemocratic reasons and for motives not of State, Yes, sometimes in a smoking-room, through clouds of “Ers” and "Ums," Obliquely and by inference, illumination comes, On some step that they have taken, or some action they approve Embellished with the argot of the Upper Fourth Remove. In telegraphic sentences, half nodded to their friends, THE PRESS THE Soldier may forget his Sword, The Sailorman the Sea, The Mason may forget the Word And the Priest his Litany: The Maid may forget both jewel and gem, And the Bride her wedding-dress But the Jew shall forget Jerusalem Ere we forget the Press! Who once hath stood through the loaded hour Ere, roaring like the gale, The Harrild and the Hoe devour Their league-long paper-bale, And has lit his pipe in the morning calm That follows the midnight stress He hath sold his heart to the old Black Art Who once hath dealt in the widest game That all of a man can play, No later love, no larger fame Will lure him long away. As the war-horse smelleth the battle afar, He saith: "Ha! Ha!" where the trumpets are Canst thou number the days that we fulfil, Sit down at the heart of men and things, The Pope may launch his Interdict, The Union its decree, But the bubble is blown and the bubble is pricked Remember the battle and stand aside. While Thrones and Powers confess That King over all the children of pride. HADRAMAUTI WHO knows the heart of the Christian? How does he reason? What are his measures and balances? Which is his season For laughter, forbearance or bloodshed, and what devils move him When he arises to smite us? I do not love him. He invites the derision of strangers-he enters all places. Booted, bareheaded he enters. With shouts and embraces He asks of us news of the household whom we reckon nameless. Certainly Allah created him forty-fold shameless! So it is not in the Desert. One came to me weeping- He was the son of an ape, ill at ease in his clothing. He talked with his head, hands and feet. I endured him with loathing. Whatever his spirit conceived his countenance showed it As a frog shows in a mud-puddle. Yet I abode it! I fingered my beard and was dumb, in silence confronting him. His soul was too shallow for silence, e'en with Death hunting him. I said: ""Tis his weariness speaks," but, when he had rested, He chirped in my face like some sparrow, and, presently, jested! Wherefore slew I that stranger? He brought me dishonour. I saddled my mare, Bijli, I set him upon her. I gave him rice and goat's flesh. He bared me to laughter. When he was gone from my tent, swift I followed after, Taking my sword in my hand. The hot wine had filled him. Under the stars he mocked me-therefore I killed him! CHAPTER HEADINGS THE NAULAHKA WE MEET in an evil land That is near to the gates of hell. I wait for thy command To serve, to speed or withstand. Oh Love, the flowers so red There is danger beneath and o'erhead, Of words thou canst not hear, Of peril and jeopardy, Of signs thou canst not see And thou sayest 'tis ill that I came? This I saw when the rites were donc, And the lamps were dead and the Gods alone, Now it is not good for the Christian's health to hustle the Aryan brown, For the Christian riles, and the Aryan smiles and he weareth the Christian down; And the end of the fight is a tombstone white with the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear: "A Fool lies here who tried to hustle the East." |