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 | The poems of Madison Cawein |  |
443
THE SLAVE
He waited till within her tower
Her taper signalled him the hour.
Her taper signalled him the hour.
He was a prince both fair and brave.
What hope that he would love her slave!
What hope that he would love her slave!
He of the Persian dynasty;
And she a Queen of Araby!—
And she a Queen of Araby!—
No Peri singing to a star
Upon the sea were lovelier.
Upon the sea were lovelier.
I helped her drop the silken rope.
He clomb, aflame with love and hope.
He clomb, aflame with love and hope.
I drew the dagger from my gown
And cut the ladder, leaning down.
And cut the ladder, leaning down.
Oh, wild his face, and wild the fall:
Her face was wilder than them all.
Her face was wilder than them all.
444
I heard her cry, I heard him groan,
And stood as merciless as stone.
And stood as merciless as stone.
The eunuchs came: fierce scimitars
Stirred in the torch-lit corridors.
Stirred in the torch-lit corridors.
She spoke like one who prays in sleep,
And bade me strike or she would leap.
And bade me strike or she would leap.
I bade her leap; the time was short;
And kept the dagger for my heart.
And kept the dagger for my heart.
She leapt. I put their blades aside
And smiling in their faces—died.
And smiling in their faces—died.
| The poems of Madison Cawein | |