In My Lady's Praise Being Poems, Old and New: Written to the Honour of Fanny, Lady Arnold and Now Collected for her Memory: By Sir Edwin Arnold |
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 | In My Lady's Praise |  |
36
M.
[Moonstone, and Malachite and Almondine!]
Moonstone, and Malachite and Almondine!
These for the Pleasure-Place I build with song,
Since you did say: “Now, lodge me like a Queen!
Feign me a Bower of Fancy! Love is strong!”
These for the Pleasure-Place I build with song,
Since you did say: “Now, lodge me like a Queen!
Feign me a Bower of Fancy! Love is strong!”
Here, then, I dream a dream to house you in,
A Palace for my Princess, saying that:
The spot shall be where the great hills begin,
Rolling in dark waves from the Deccan flat.
A Palace for my Princess, saying that:
The spot shall be where the great hills begin,
Rolling in dark waves from the Deccan flat.
This way on Maharashtra's plains they look;
That way to mountains and the Arab sea;
A forest, full of many a tangled nook,
Clothes the grey crags with green embroidery.
That way to mountains and the Arab sea;
A forest, full of many a tangled nook,
Clothes the grey crags with green embroidery.
Fair is the scene, and sweet the seasons all;
The folk Mahrattas; pastoral, simple, brave.
Thither my fairy architects I call,
And there a lovely Indian home I'd have!
The folk Mahrattas; pastoral, simple, brave.
Thither my fairy architects I call,
And there a lovely Indian home I'd have!
37
Like to abodes of the East, the stateliest planned,
With white wide walls, high domes, gates gold and red;
Pillared chabootras, dark with shade, shall stand
Round the first court, where steps of marble spread
With white wide walls, high domes, gates gold and red;
Pillared chabootras, dark with shade, shall stand
Round the first court, where steps of marble spread
Before a pierced-work porch, whereby you pass
To inner coolness, through a columned cloister,
Whose roof—rose-crystal—polished thin as glass,
Lights the veined pavements, all of alabaster.
To inner coolness, through a columned cloister,
Whose roof—rose-crystal—polished thin as glass,
Lights the veined pavements, all of alabaster.
Scented strange woods shall frame the chamber-doors,
Fountains of fragrant waters will be there;
Along the ways, and winding stairs, and floors
Delicious things of Art shall make it fair!
Fountains of fragrant waters will be there;
Along the ways, and winding stairs, and floors
Delicious things of Art shall make it fair!
Blossoms of unnamed hues and odours fine
Shall deck the courts for you—the Flower of All!
Birds in the orange-walks and lanes of vine
Shall know your name, and come when you do call!
Shall deck the courts for you—the Flower of All!
Birds in the orange-walks and lanes of vine
Shall know your name, and come when you do call!
Flowers, too, shall glow of never-fading bloom.
On screens of Jasper wrought, fencing the Bower,
Such as one sees in that white Temple-Tomb,
Reared by great Shah Jehan on Jumna's shore,
On screens of Jasper wrought, fencing the Bower,
Such as one sees in that white Temple-Tomb,
Reared by great Shah Jehan on Jumna's shore,
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To keep for ever famous Mumtaz' name—
The Lady of his Throne—a hundred gems,
Cut to their burning hearts one flower to frame;
Then inlaid on the slabs, in anadems,
The Lady of his Throne—a hundred gems,
Cut to their burning hearts one flower to frame;
Then inlaid on the slabs, in anadems,
And wreaths, and arabesques of rare conceit,
A changeless garden, where the happy eye
Lights nowhere, but some posy, costly-sweet,
Fills it with joy of daintiest jewellery.
A changeless garden, where the happy eye
Lights nowhere, but some posy, costly-sweet,
Fills it with joy of daintiest jewellery.
I will have columns such as Solomon
Commanded of his Djins—naming The Name
Cut in the blue of that dread signet stone,
His magic Sapphire; columns such as came
Commanded of his Djins—naming The Name
Cut in the blue of that dread signet stone,
His magic Sapphire; columns such as came
Across the Aramœan sands, across
The Erythrœan billows; syenite,
Black porphyry purple-veined, the satin gloss
Of onyx; coral, crystals, chrysolite,
The Erythrœan billows; syenite,
Black porphyry purple-veined, the satin gloss
Of onyx; coral, crystals, chrysolite,
With abaci of silver. I will have
A milk-white warm pavilion in the midst,
Such as Siddartha, Prince of India, gave
To bright Yasôdhara. Whisper thou didst
A milk-white warm pavilion in the midst,
Such as Siddartha, Prince of India, gave
To bright Yasôdhara. Whisper thou didst
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That “Love is rich;” and what, then, shall prevent
Our Palace with such Amethyst lamps to light
As gleamed o'er Cleopatra's sleep, and sent
Rays of soft splendour through th' Egyptian night;
Our Palace with such Amethyst lamps to light
As gleamed o'er Cleopatra's sleep, and sent
Rays of soft splendour through th' Egyptian night;
Dimming Mizâr and Algol? What forbids
To ordain such hangings as Aladdin chose
Of blue and amber silks; and coverlids
Stiff with sewn gold and seed pearls? Ay, or those
To ordain such hangings as Aladdin chose
Of blue and amber silks; and coverlids
Stiff with sewn gold and seed pearls? Ay, or those
Carpets of Iran woven thick with tints
Of peach and tulip; and sweet secret times
Of Leila and Majnûn; and pictured hints
Of lovers' bliss; and tender subtle rhymes
Of peach and tulip; and sweet secret times
Of Leila and Majnûn; and pictured hints
Of lovers' bliss; and tender subtle rhymes
From Persian verse—seggâdehs gay, where fall
The henna-pstained small feet of Shiraz girls
Softly as snow on roses. Therewithal
A pleasaunce shall extend, where a stream purls
The henna-pstained small feet of Shiraz girls
Softly as snow on roses. Therewithal
A pleasaunce shall extend, where a stream purls
Cold from the crags, the sunny lawns along,
Sparkling from stone to stone; bordered by ranks
Of blue and crimson lotus, and a throng
Of plumed palms shading all the dappled banks
Sparkling from stone to stone; bordered by ranks
Of blue and crimson lotus, and a throng
Of plumed palms shading all the dappled banks
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With shifting fans; and underneath the palms,
Moon-flowers, musk-roses, and the silvery spear
Of aloes, and the champak's star of balms,
With milky mogras, breathing far and near
Moon-flowers, musk-roses, and the silvery spear
Of aloes, and the champak's star of balms,
With milky mogras, breathing far and near
Breath as from Paradise; Oh, and the walks
(New-watered every dawn) cut low and high
With runnels, where the mountain-water talks
Music to doves and mynas, nesting nigh;
(New-watered every dawn) cut low and high
With runnels, where the mountain-water talks
Music to doves and mynas, nesting nigh;
Ofttimes o'erleaped by golden-coated hordes
Of antelope, the bucks leading the way;
The limpid-eyed light does following their lords,
Their shyness gone; friendly, and safe, and gay:
Of antelope, the bucks leading the way;
The limpid-eyed light does following their lords,
Their shyness gone; friendly, and safe, and gay:
For in our Palace peace and love shall reign,
And all fair creatures of the air and earth
Be friends of man, who, elsewhere, pays his pain
With pain and harm to these; though Death and Birth
And all fair creatures of the air and earth
Be friends of man, who, elsewhere, pays his pain
With pain and harm to these; though Death and Birth
Are one for all, and Life the self-same sadness,
Where Love and Pity rule not! There shall be
For gentle service faces full of gladness;
Willing swift feet, and happy vassalry;
Where Love and Pity rule not! There shall be
For gentle service faces full of gladness;
Willing swift feet, and happy vassalry;
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For good it is to obey where Love is master,
And freest he who serves the noblest Queen;
Therefore, thou minister! bring—fast and faster—
Moonstone, and Malachite, and Almondine!
And freest he who serves the noblest Queen;
Therefore, thou minister! bring—fast and faster—
Moonstone, and Malachite, and Almondine!
| In My Lady's Praise | |