Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile By H. D. Rawnsley |
 |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. | XLIX AT KENEH |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXII. |
| LXIV. |
 | Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile |  |
102
XLIX AT KENEH
Through Keneh's narrow streets we went,
We heard the humming of the wheel,
Where o'er his work the potter bent.
We heard the humming of the wheel,
Where o'er his work the potter bent.
The kneaded mass he downward threw,
Dead clay life's instinct seemed to feel,
And into forms of beauty grew.
Dead clay life's instinct seemed to feel,
And into forms of beauty grew.
Thence to the Potter's hill we came,
That burns like Tophet evermore,
And smells of smoke and smothered flame.
That burns like Tophet evermore,
And smells of smoke and smothered flame.
This lined his kiln with shapes of clay,
That from the pit drew forth his store,
And hurried with his jars away.
That from the pit drew forth his store,
And hurried with his jars away.
The potter's ass, with steady feet,
And bulged with burdens either side,
Went jostling down the busy street.
And bulged with burdens either side,
Went jostling down the busy street.
103
The crowd gave way with willing grace,
Tho' none before his coming cried—
‘For the jar-carrier make place!’
Tho' none before his coming cried—
‘For the jar-carrier make place!’
The Sun hath put their hearts to school,
They know the universal need
Of ‘kulleh’ porous, ‘bellas’ cool.
They know the universal need
Of ‘kulleh’ porous, ‘bellas’ cool.
We are but as these pots, say they,
From Allah's hand we all proceed,
To back return as broken clay.
From Allah's hand we all proceed,
To back return as broken clay.
Yea, and tho' made by Allah's hand,
We from a fiery furnace go
To help or hurt a weary land.
We from a fiery furnace go
To help or hurt a weary land.
How soon we too are cracked and burst
With flames that work our being woe,
How much to be more full we thirst!
With flames that work our being woe,
How much to be more full we thirst!
So with his burden through the town,
Toward the raft upon the Nile,
The ass unchallenged hies him down.
Toward the raft upon the Nile,
The ass unchallenged hies him down.
There from his nets he gives his store
To clamorous boatmen, rests awhile,
And hies him back in quest for more.
To clamorous boatmen, rests awhile,
And hies him back in quest for more.
| Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile | |