Selected Poems (43 page)

But once beguiled – and ever more beguiling;

Dazzling, as that, oh! too transcendent vision

To Sorrow’s phantom-peopled slumber given,

When heart meets heart again in dreams Elysian,

165

And paints the lost on Earth revived in Heaven;

Soft, as the memory of buried love;

Pure, as the prayer which Childhood wafts above;

Was she – the daughter of that rude old Chief,

Who met the maid with tears – but not of grief.

170

Who hath not proved how feebly words essay

To fix one spark of Beauty’s heavenly ray?

Who doth not feel, until his failing sight

Faints into dimness with its own delight,

His changing cheek, his sinking heart confess

175

The might – the majesty of Loveliness?

Such was Zuleika – such around her shone

The nameless charms unmark’d by her alone;

The light of love, the purity of grace,

The mind, the Music
¹
breathing from her face,

180

The heart whose softness harmonized the whole –

And, oh! that eye was in itself a Soul!

Her graceful arms in meekness bending

Across her gently-budding breast;

At one kind word those arms extending

185

To clasp the neck of him who blest

His child caressing and carest

Zuleika came – and Giaffir felt

His purpose half within him melt:

Not that against her fancied weal

190

His heart though stern could ever feel;

Affection chain’d her to that heart;

Ambition tore the links apart.

VII

‘Zuleika! child of gentleness!

How dear this very day must tell,

195

When I forget my own distress,

In losing what I love so well,

To bid thee with another dwell:

Another! and a braver man

Was never seen in battle’s van.

200

We Moslem reck not much of blood;

But yet the line of Carasman
¹

Unchanged, unchangeable hath stood

First of the bold Timariot bands

That won and well can keep their lands.

205

Enough that he who comes to woo

Is kinsman of the Bey Oglou:

His years need scarce a thought employ;

I would not have thee wed a boy.

And thou shalt have a noble dower:

210

And his and my united power

Will laugh to scorn the death-firman,

Which others tremble but to scan,

And teach the messenger
¹
what fate

The bearer of such boon may wait.

215

And now thou know’st thy father’s will;

All that thy sex hath need to know:

‘Twas mine to teach obedience still –

The way to love, thy lord may show.’

VIII

In silence bow’d the virgin’s head;

220

And if her eye was fill’d with tears

That stifled feeling dare not shed,

And changed her cheek from pale to red,

And red to pale, as through her ears

Those winged words like arrows sped,

225

What could such be but maiden fears?

So bright the tear in Beauty’s eye,

Love half regrets to kiss it dry;

So sweet the blush of Bashfulness,

Even Pity scarce can wish it less!

230

What’er it was the sire forgot;

Or if remember’d, mark’d it not;

Thrice clapp’d his hands, and call’d his steed,
¹

Resign’d his gem-adorn’d chibouque,
²

And mounting featly for the mead,

235

With Maugrabee
³
and Mamaluke,

His way amid his Delis took,
⁴

To witness many an active deed

With sabre keen, or blunt jerreed.

The Kislar only and his Moors

240

Watch well the Haram’s massy doors.

IX

His head was leant upon his hand,

His eye look’d o’er the dark blue water

That swiftly glides and gently swells

Between the winding Dardanelles;

245

But yet he saw nor sea nor strand,

Nor even his Pacha’s turban’d band

Mix in the game of mimic slaughter,

Careering cleave the folded felt
⁵

With sabre stroke right sharply dealt;

250

Nor mark’d the javelin-darting crowd,

Nor heard their Ollahs
⁶
wild and loud –

He thought but of old Giaffir’s daughter!

X

No word from Selim’s bosom broke;

One sigh Zuleika’s thought bespoke:

255

Still gazed he through the lattice grate,

Pale, mute, and mournfully sedate.

To him Zuleika’s eye was turn’d,

But little from his aspect learn’d:

Equal her grief, yet not the same;

260

Her heart confess’d a gentler flame:

But yet that heart alarm’d or weak,

She knew not why, forbade to speak.

Yet speak she must – but when essay?

‘How strange he thus should turn away!

265

Not thus we e’er before have met;

Not thus shall be our parting yet.’

Thrice pac’d she slowly through the room,

And watch’d his eye – it still was fix’d:

She snatch’d the urn whercin was mix’d

270

The Persian Atar-gul’s
¹
perfume,

And sprinkled all its odours o’er

The pictured roof
²
and marble floor:

The drops, that through his glittering vest

The playful girl’s appeal address’d,

275

Unheeded o’er his bosom flew,

As if that breast were marble too.

‘What, sullen yet? it must not be –

Oh! gentle Selim, this from thee!’

She saw in curious order set

280

The fairest flowers of eastern land –

‘He lov’d them once; may touch them yet,

If offer’d by Zuleika’s hand.’

The childish thought was hardly breathed

Before the Rose was pluck’d and wreathed;

285

The next fond moment saw her seat

Her fairy form at Selim’s feet:

‘This rose to calm my brother’s cares

A message from the Bulbul
¹
bears;

It says to-night he will prolong

290

For Selim’s ear his sweetest song;

And though his note is somewhat sad,

He’ll try for once a strain more glad,

With some faint hope his alter’d lay

May sing these gloomy thoughts away.

XI

295

‘What! not receive my foolish flower?

Nay then I am indeed unblest:

On me can thus thy forehead lower?

And know’st thou not who loves thee best?

Oh, Selim dear! oh, more than dearest!

300

Say, is it me thou hat’st or fearest?

Come, lay thy head upon my breast,

And I will kiss thee into rest,

Since words of mine, and songs must fail,

Ev’n from my fabled nightingale.

305

I knew our sire at times was stern,

But this from thee had yet to learn:

Too well I know he loves thee not;

But is Zuleika’s love forgot?

Ah! deem I right? the Pacha’s plan –

310

This kinsman Bey of Carasman

Perhaps may prove some foe of thine.

If so, I swear by Mecca’s shrine,

If shrines that ne’er approach allow

To woman’s step admit her vow,

315

Without thy free consent, command,

The Sultan should not have my hand!

Think’st thou that I could bear to part

With thee, and learn to halve my heart?

Ah! were I sever’d from thy side,

320

Where were thy friend – and who my guide?