"Oh! ever thus, from childhood's hour, "I've seen my fondest hopes decay; "I never lov'd a tree or flower, "But 'twas the first to fade "I never nurs'd a dear gazelle, away. "To glad me with its soft black eye, "But when it came to know me well, "And love me, it was sure to die! "Now too the joy most like divine "Of all I ever dreamt or knew, "To see thee, hear thee, call thee mine, "Oh misery! must I lose that too? "Though heaven, it may be death to thee. "Farewel—and blessings on thy way, "Where'er thou go'st, beloved stranger! "Better to sit and watch that ray, "And think thee safe, though far away, "Than have thee near me, and in danger!” "Danger! - oh, tempt me not to boast The youth exclaim'd" thou little know'st "What he can brave, who, born and nurst "Of strife and death is hourly breaking; "Say on thou fear'st not then, "And we may meet- - oft meet again?" "Oh! look not so, beneath the skies " "Twould be those eyes; they, only they, "Is fix'd- on this side of the tomb "We meet no more why, why did heaven 66 Mingle two souls that earth has riven, "Has rent asunder wide as ours ? "His grey head from that lightning glance ! "Thou know'st him not he loves the brave; "Nor lives there under heaven's expanse "One who would prize, would worship thee, "And thy bold spirit, more than he. "Oft when, in childhood, I have play'd "With the bright falchion by his side, "I've heard him swear his lisping maid "In time should be a warrior's bride. "And still, whene'er, at Haram hours, "I take him cool sherbets and flowers, "He tells me, when in playful mood, "A hero shall my bridegroom be, "Since maids are best in battle woo'd, "And won with shouts of victory! 66. Nay, turn not from me - thou alone "Art form'd to make both hearts thy own. "Go-join his sacred ranks thou know'st "Th' unholy strife these Persians wage: "Good Heav'n, that frown!-ev'n now thou glow'st "With more than mortal warrior's rage. "Haste to the camp by morning's light,' "Hold, hold―thy words are death—” The stranger cried, as wild he flung His mantle back, and show'd beneath The Gheber belt that round him clung." 8 "Here, maiden, look-weep - blush to see "All that thy sire abhors in me! "Yes - I am of that impious race, "Those Slaves of Fire who, morn and even, 866 They (the Ghebers) lay so much stress on their cushee or girdle, as not to dare to be an instant without it."— Grose's Voyage. Le jeune homme nia d'abord la chose; mais, ayant été dépouillé de sa robe, et la large ceinture qu'il portoit comme Ghebr, &c. &c. - D'Herbelot, art. Agduani. "Hail their Creator's dwelling-place "Among the living lights of heaven ! 9 "Yes-I am of that outcast few, "To IRAN and to vengeance true, "Who curse the hour your Arabs came "To desolate our shrines of flame, "And swear, before God's burning eye, "To break our country's chains, or die! "Thy bigot sire nay, tremble not He, who gave birth to those dear eyes, "With me is sacred as the spot "From which our fires of worship rise! "But know -'twas he I sought that night, "When, from my watch-boat on the sea, "I caught this turret's glimmering light, "And up the rude rocks desperately "Rush'd to my prey thou know'st the rest "I climb'd the gory vulture's nest, "And found a trembling dove within ; "Thine, thine the victory--thine the sin 9 They suppose the Throne of the Almighty is seated in the sun, and hence their worship of that luminary. - Hanway. |