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THE SEVEN DEVILS |
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 | The poems of Madison Cawein |  |
460
THE SEVEN DEVILS
There is a legend, lost in some old dusty
Tome of the East,—and who will question it?—
Concluding ancient wisdom, rather musty,
Wherein much war and wickedness and wit,
Insult and wrath and love and shame are writ:
Wherein is written that, when Mahomet
Fled out of Mecca from the people's wrath,
He met a shadow standing in his path,
A naked horror, blacker than hewn jet.
Tome of the East,—and who will question it?—
Concluding ancient wisdom, rather musty,
Wherein much war and wickedness and wit,
Insult and wrath and love and shame are writ:
Wherein is written that, when Mahomet
Fled out of Mecca from the people's wrath,
He met a shadow standing in his path,
A naked horror, blacker than hewn jet.
It in one hand held out a flaming jewel,
Wherein fierce colors burnt and blent like eyes
Of seven fires, merciless as cruel:
The horror said, “God cursed them for their lies.
These are the seven devils of the wise,
And I am Satan!” And the prophet saw
How he might punish Mecca for its pride;
And, gazing on the Fiend, “Allah,” he cried,
“Let them be free!” His word, like God's, was law.
Wherein fierce colors burnt and blent like eyes
Of seven fires, merciless as cruel:
The horror said, “God cursed them for their lies.
These are the seven devils of the wise,
461
How he might punish Mecca for its pride;
And, gazing on the Fiend, “Allah,” he cried,
“Let them be free!” His word, like God's, was law.
Since then these seven devils have descended
From nation unto nation, past the ken
Of Mahomet, who left earth undefended
Of any amulet of tongue or pen
'Gainst demons boring at the brains of men:
Demons, whose names I dare not breathe or write,
For fear of fear, despair and madness, born
Of horror, and of frenzy all forlorn,
And shadowy evils of the day and night.
From nation unto nation, past the ken
Of Mahomet, who left earth undefended
Of any amulet of tongue or pen
'Gainst demons boring at the brains of men:
Demons, whose names I dare not breathe or write,
For fear of fear, despair and madness, born
Of horror, and of frenzy all forlorn,
And shadowy evils of the day and night.
| The poems of Madison Cawein | |