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|
 | The poems of Madison Cawein |  |
458
ARABAH
“The third of these heroes, the blind Arabah.”—
Gibbon.
Gibbon.
And one brought pearls and one brought passion-flowers
To blind Arabah as he lay in dreams,
And one brought visions of the after hours.
And he beheld the rainbow-rolling streams
Of Eden on harmonious sands of gold,
And battlements, builded of prismatic beams.
He was not sightless now, nor weak, nor old;
For lo! the dark-eyed girls of Paradise
Rained on him gifts and kisses.
To blind Arabah as he lay in dreams,
And one brought visions of the after hours.
And he beheld the rainbow-rolling streams
Of Eden on harmonious sands of gold,
And battlements, builded of prismatic beams.
He was not sightless now, nor weak, nor old;
For lo! the dark-eyed girls of Paradise
Rained on him gifts and kisses.
And 'tis told
How blind Arabah rose with unsealed eyes,
With seeing eyes; he who to Allah gave
All that he had; which happened in this wise:—
“Who's this that lies upon the mosque's cold pave?”—
“A blind man, whom an angel's hand shall lead.”—
“A beggar, richer than the rich who have.”—
“Behold the lesson, such as Sufis feed
The soul upon!—O faith, blind-praying, see,
Out of thyself how God repays indeed,
Ten-thousandfold, one generosity!” . . .
How blind Arabah rose with unsealed eyes,
With seeing eyes; he who to Allah gave
All that he had; which happened in this wise:—
“Who's this that lies upon the mosque's cold pave?”—
459
“A beggar, richer than the rich who have.”—
“Behold the lesson, such as Sufis feed
The soul upon!—O faith, blind-praying, see,
Out of thyself how God repays indeed,
Ten-thousandfold, one generosity!” . . .
All Baghdad knew how, at the hour of prayer,
A slave beneath each shoulder, it was he,
Old, blind Arabah, whom a suppliant there,
Footsore and hungry, met and asked for bread.
“Alas! my son, God's poor are everywhere,”—
Hoar as a Koreish priest, Arabah said;—
“Richer than thou am I though poor indeed!
Take thou my slaves and sell, and buy thee bread.”—
Thrust him his slaves and said, “Great is thy need.
Refuse, and I renounce them!”—And the wall
Struck with his staff, saying, “This now shall lead.”
—While from the mosque rang the muezzin's call,
“God is most mighty! Allah seeth all!”
A slave beneath each shoulder, it was he,
Old, blind Arabah, whom a suppliant there,
Footsore and hungry, met and asked for bread.
“Alas! my son, God's poor are everywhere,”—
Hoar as a Koreish priest, Arabah said;—
“Richer than thou am I though poor indeed!
Take thou my slaves and sell, and buy thee bread.”—
Thrust him his slaves and said, “Great is thy need.
Refuse, and I renounce them!”—And the wall
Struck with his staff, saying, “This now shall lead.”
—While from the mosque rang the muezzin's call,
“God is most mighty! Allah seeth all!”
| The poems of Madison Cawein | |