 | Songs at the Start |  |
60
ORIENT-BORN.
Beautiful olive-brown brows, chin where the fairy-print lies;
Vagrant dark tresses above splendid mysterious eyes;
Vagrant dark tresses above splendid mysterious eyes;
Mellowest fires that glow under the calm of her face,
Girl of all girls in the world for mould and for color and grace.
Girl of all girls in the world for mould and for color and grace.
Such are the opal-like maids that flash in the groves to and fro,
Dancers Arabian; such, languorous ages ago,
Dancers Arabian; such, languorous ages ago,
61
Ptolemy's daughter; and so, breathing faint cassia and musk,
Veilèd young Moors on divans, singing and sighing at dusk.
Veilèd young Moors on divans, singing and sighing at dusk.
Never in opiate dreams have I o'ertaken you, sweet;
Never with henna-tipped hands; never with silken-shod feet;
Never with henna-tipped hands; never with silken-shod feet;
Still the love-charm of the East must over and over be told:
By-and-by havoc with hearts! ... Ah, slowly, my seven-year-old!
By-and-by havoc with hearts! ... Ah, slowly, my seven-year-old!
| Songs at the Start | |