Layla and majnun

SÂKI*, thou know'st I worship wine;

Let that delicious cup be mine.

Wine! pure and limpid as my tears,

Dispeller of a lover's fears;

With thee inspired, with thee made bold,

'Midst combat fierce my post I hold;

With thee inspired, I touch the string,

And, rapt, of love and pleasures sing.

Thou art a lion, seeking prey,

Along the glades where wild deer stray;

And like a lion I would roam,

To bring the joys I seek for home;

With wine, life's dearest, sweetest treasure,

I feel the thrill of every pleasure:

—Bring, Saki, bring the ruby now;

Its lustre sparkles on thy brow,

And, flashing with a tremulous light,

Has made thy laughing eyes more bright:

Bring, bring the liquid gem, and see

Its power, its wond'rous power, in me.

—No ancestors have I to boast;

The trace of my descent is lost.

From Adam what do I inherit?

What but a sad and troubled spirit?

For human life, from oldest time,

Is ever mark'd with guilt and crime;

And man, betrayer and betray'd,

Lurks like a spider in the shade;

But wine still plays a magic part,

Exalting high the drooping heart.

Then, Saki, linger not, but give

The blissful balm on which I live.

Come, bring the juice of the purple vine,

Bring, bring, the musky-scented wine;

A draught of wine the memory clears,

And wakens thoughts of other years.—

When blushing dawn illumes the sky,

Fill up a bumper, fill it high!

That wine,* which to the fever'd lip,

With anguish parch'd, when given to sip,

Imparts a rapturous smile, and throws

A veil o'er all distracting woes:

That wine, the lamp which, night and day,

Lights us along our weary way;

Which strews the path with fruits and flowers,

And gilds with joy our fleeting hours;

And lifts the mind, now grown elate,

To Jamshid's glory, Jamshid's state.* —

But of the kingly race beware;

'Tis not for thee their smiles to share:

Smiles are deceitful, fire looks bright,

And sheds a lucid dazzling light;

But, though attractive, it is known

That safety dwells in flight alone.

The moth the taper's radiance tries,

But 'midst the flame in torment dies:

And none lament that foolish pride

Which seeks to be with kings allied.—

Bring, bring the musky-scented wine!

'Tis the key of mirth, and must be mine;

The key which opens wide the door

Of rapture's rich and varied store;

Which makes the mounting spirits glad,

And feel the pomp of Kai-Kobâd.

Wine o'er the temper casts a spell

Of kindness indescribable:

Then, since I'm in the drinking vein,

Bring, bring the luscious wine again!

From the vintner another fresh supply,

And let not the reveller's lips be dry.—

Come, Saki, thou'rt not old, nor lame;

Thou'dst not incur from a minstrel blame;

Let him wash from his heart the dust of sorrow;

Let him riot in social bliss till the morrow;

Let the sound of the goblet delight his ear,

Like the music that breathes from Heaven's own sphere.

II.

Mark, where instruction pours upon the mind

The light of knowledge, simple or refined;

Shaikhs of each tribe have children there, and each

Studies whate'er the bearded sage can teach.

Thence his attainments Kais* assiduous drew,

And scatter'd pearls from lips of ruby hue;

And there, of different tribe and gentle mien,

A lovely maid of tender years was seen:

Her mental powers an early bloom display'd;

Her peaceful form in simple garb array'd:

Bright as the morn, her cypress shape, and eyes

Dark as the stag's, were view'd with fond surprise;

And when her cheek this Arab moon reveal'd,

A thousand hearts were won; no pride, no shield,

Could check her beauty's power, resistless grown,

Given to enthral and charm—but chiefly one.

Her richly flowing locks were black as night,

And Lailî* she was call'd—that heart's delight:

One single glance the nerves to frenzy wrought,

One single glance bewilder'd every thought;

And, when o'er Kais affection's blushing rose

Diffused its sweetness, from him fled repose:

Tumultuous passion danced upon his brow;

He sought to woo her, but he knew not how:

He gazed upon her cheek, and, as he gazed,

Love's flaming taper more intensely blazed.

Soon mutual pleasure warm'd each other's heart;

Love conquer'd both—they never dreamt to part;

And, while the rest were poring o'er their books,

They pensive mused, and read each other's looks:

While other schoolmates for distinction strove,

And thought of fame, they only thought of love:

While others various climes in books explored,

Both idly sat—adorer and adored:

Science for them had now no charms to boast;

Learning for them had all its virtue lost:

Their only taste was love, and love's sweet ties,

And writing ghazels to each other's eyes.

Yes, love triumphant came, engrossing all

The fond luxuriant thoughts of youth and maid;

And, whilst subdued in that delicious thrall,

Smiles and bright tears upon their features play'd.

Then in soft converse did they pass the hours,–

Their passion, like the season, fresh and fair;

Their opening path seem'd deck'd with balmiest flowers,

Their melting words as soft as summer air.

Immersed in love so deep,

They hoped suspicion would be lull'd asleep,

And none be conscious of their amorous state;

They hoped that none with prying eye,

And gosip tongue invidiously,

Might to the busy world its truth relate:

And, thus possess'd they anxious thought

Their passion would be kept unknown;

Wishing to seem what they were not,

Though all observed their hearts were one.

By worldly prudence uncontroll'd,

Their every glance their feelings told;

For true love never yet had skill

To veil impassion'd looks at will.

When ringlets of a thousand curls,

And ruby lips, and teeth of pearls,

And dark eyes flashing quick and bright,

Like lightning on the brow of night—

When charms like these their power display,

And steal the wilder'd heart away—

Can man, dissembling, coldly seem

Unmoved as by an idle dream?

Kais saw her beauty, saw her grace,

The soft expression of her face;

And, as he gazed, and gazed again,

Distraction stung his burning brain:

No rest he found by day or night—

Lailî for ever in his sight.

But, oh! when separation came,

More brightly glow'd his ardent flame;

And she, with equal sorrow fraught,

Bewail'd the fate upon them brought.

—He wander'd wild through lane and street,

With frantic step, as if to meet

Something which still his search defied,

Reckless of all that might betide.

His bosom heaved with groans and sighs,

Tears ever gushing from his eyes;

And still he struggled to conceal

The anguish he was doom'd to feel;

And, madden'd with excessive grief,

In the lone desert sought relief.

Thither, as morning dawn'd, he flew;

His head and feet no covering knew;

And every night, with growing pain,

The woes of absence mark'd his strain.

The secret path he eager chose

Where Lailî's distant mansion rose

And kiss'd the door, and in that kiss

Fancied he quaff'd the cup of bliss.

How fleet his steps to that sweet place!

A thousand wings increased his place;

But thence, his fond devotions paid,

A thousand thorns his course delay'd.

III.

The lover from his mistress parted,

Lingering, oppress'd, and broken-hearted,

Sank, like the sun all rayless, down—

Khuśro,* without his throne or crown.

With matted locks and bosom bare,

Unshielded from the scorching air,

This hapless youth, absorb'd in grief,

Hoped with his friends to find relief;

The few, by strong affection bound,

And, 'midst his woes, still faithful found.

But vain the refuge—friendship's smile

Could not his love-lorn heart beguile:

Again he hasten'd to that place remote,

Where all he loved in life had gone:

He call'd her magic name, but she was not,

Nor of her kindred, one, not one,

In that sequestered, lonely spot:

He call'd a thousand times, but call'd in vain;

None heeded, for none heard the strain;

And thence no fond reply that hapless youth could gain.

Lailî had, with her kindred, been removed

Among the Najd mountains, where

She cherish'd still the thoughts of him she loved,

And her affection thus more deeply proved

Amid that wild retreat. Kais sought her there;

Sought her in rosy bower and silent glade,

Where the tall palm-trees flung refreshing shade.

He call'd upon her name again;

Again he call'd alas! in vain;

His voice unheard, though raised on every side;

Echo alone to his lament replied;

And Lailî! Lailî! rang around,

As if enamour'd of that magic sound.*

Dejected and forlorn, fast-falling dew

Glisten'd upon his cheeks of pallid hue;

Through grove and frowning glen he lonely stray'd,

And with his griefs the rocks were vocal made.

Beautiful Lailî! had she gone for ever?—

Could he that thought support? oh, never, never!

Whilst deep emotion agonised his breast,

He to the morning-breeze these words address'd:–

“Breeze of the morn! so fresh and sweet,

Wilt thou my blooming mistress greet;

And, nestling in her glossy hair,

My tenderest thoughts, my love, declare?

Wilt thou, while 'mid her tresses sporting,

Their odorous balm, their perfume courting,

Say to that soul-seducing maid,

In grief how prostrate I am laid!

And gently whisper in her ear

This message, with an accent clear:—

‘Thy form is ever in my sight,

In thought by day, in dreams by night;

For one, in spirits sad and broken,

That mole would be the happiest token;

That mole* which adds to every look

A magic spell I cannot brook;

For he who sees thy melting charms,

And does not feel his soul in arms,

Bursting with passion, rapture, all

That speak love's deepest, wildest thrall,

Must be, as Kâf's* ice-summit, cold,

And, haply, scarce of human mould.

Let him, unmoved by charms like thine,

His worthless life at once resign–

Those lips are sugar, heavenly sweet;

O let but mine their pouting meet!

The balsam of delight they shed;

Their radiant colour ruby-red.

The Evil eye has struck my heart,*

But thine in beauty sped the dart:

Thus many a flower, of richest hue,

Hath fall'n and perish'd where it grew

Thy beauty is the sun in brightness,

Thy form a Peri's self in lightness;

A treasure thou, which, poets say,

The heavens would gladly steal away—

Too good, too pure, on earth to stay!’”