 | Poems |  |
38
IN THE DESERT.
I.
BEDOUIN IN AMBUSH.
Seven hawks, in dismal disarray,
Across a sky of slaty gray,
Now dusking with the dusking day.
Across a sky of slaty gray,
Now dusking with the dusking day.
The sun low down, and almost hid
Beneath a vapory, dull lid,
Over against a pyramid.
Beneath a vapory, dull lid,
Over against a pyramid.
One cluster of incessant green,
Three slender palms that tower and lean—
A crouching sentinel between.
Three slender palms that tower and lean—
A crouching sentinel between.
No hissing breath upon the lip—
No stir in poised knee and hip—
No quiver from the finger tip;
No stir in poised knee and hip—
No quiver from the finger tip;
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But, pointing from the fatal lair,
The lithe wrist glued about the bare,
Dull-gleaming rifle's livid glare.
The lithe wrist glued about the bare,
Dull-gleaming rifle's livid glare.
And slow, with wearisome slow limb,
A caravan approaching him
With fringe of shadows long and slim.
A caravan approaching him
With fringe of shadows long and slim.
II.
BEDOUIN ABROAD.
A sky of glimmering, cool steel,
But barely serving to reveal
The desert where the camels kneel.
But barely serving to reveal
The desert where the camels kneel.
An awkward buzzard on the wing;
Above one star in filmy ring;
While lower ranks are hovering
Above one star in filmy ring;
While lower ranks are hovering
By pots of delicate, spiced flesh;
Abundant fruits in silken mesh;
And jars of oil, and olives fresh;
Abundant fruits in silken mesh;
And jars of oil, and olives fresh;
40
And costly vestments of the Kahn,
Despoiled with bloody mare and man—
The remnants of a caravan.
Despoiled with bloody mare and man—
The remnants of a caravan.
Against the sky-rim, silvery,
One motionless, tall cocoa-tree;
The pyramids in angles three.
One motionless, tall cocoa-tree;
The pyramids in angles three.
And yonder, where the morning lowers,
The fleet-winged flying-horseman scours
T'ward Ghizeh and her shining towers.
The fleet-winged flying-horseman scours
T'ward Ghizeh and her shining towers.
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