Yes, friend, I own these tales of Arabia Smile not, as smiled their flawless originals Age-old but yet untamed, for ages Pass and the magic is undiminished. Thus, friend, the tales of old Camaralzaman, Ayoub, the Slave of Love, or the Calendars Blind-eyed and ill-starred royal scions, Charm us in age as they charmed in childhood. Fair ones, beyond all numerability, Beam from the palace, beam on humanity, Bright-eyed, in truth, yet soulless houries Offering pleasures and only pleasure. Thus they, the venal Muses Arabian -- Unlike, indeed, to nobler divinities, Greek Gods or old time-honoured muses Easily proffer unloved caresses. Lost, lost, the man who mindeth their minstrelsy; Since still, in sandy, glittering pleasances, Cold, stony fruits, gem-like but quite in - Edible, flatter and wholly starve him. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...WHEN WILL LOVE COME? by PAKENHAM THOMAS BEATTY IN TENEBRIS: 2 by THOMAS HARDY A NEWPORT ROMANCE by FRANCIS BRET HARTE IN MEMORIAM A.H.H.: 104 by ALFRED TENNYSON THE ANGEL OF PATIENCE by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER THE GYPSIES [OR, GIPSIES] by HENRY HOWARTH BASHFORD |