BENEATH the shadow of a large-leaved plane, Above the ripple of a shallow stream, Beside a cypress-planted cemetery, In a gay-painted trellis-worked kiosk, A company of easy Muslims sat, Enjoying the calm measure of delight God grants the faithful even here on earth. Most pleasantly the bitter berry tastes, Handed by that bright-eyed and neat-limbed boy; Most daintily the long chibouk is filled And almost before emptied, filled again; Or, with a free good-will, from mouth to mouth Passes the cool Nargheelee serpentine. So sit they, with some low occasional word Breaking the silence in itself so sweet, While o'er the neighbouring bridge the caravan Winds slowly in one line interminable Of camel after camel, each with neck Jerked up, as sniffing the far desert air. Then one serene old Turk, with snow-white beard Hanging amid his pistol-hilts profuse, Spoke out -- "Till sunset all the time is ours, And we should take advantage of the chance That brings us here together. This my friend Tells by his shape of dress and peaked cap Where his home lies: he comes from furthest off, So let the round of tales begin with him." Thus challenged, in his thoughts the Persian dived, And, with no waste of faint apologies, Related a plain story of his life, Nothing adventurous, terrible, or strange, But, as he said, a simple incident, That any one there present might have known. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DOROTHY DANCES by LOUIS UNTERMEYER THE LOST LEADER by ROBERT BROWNING SING-SONG; A NURSERY RHYME BOOK: 45 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI SONG OF THE BANNER AT DAY-BREAK by WALT WHITMAN NAMELESS PAIN by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH A HINT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD SATIRE OF JUVENAL by PHILIP AYRES |