8

On faith and infidelity
O scatter wide thy elemency;
At last the veil of darkness raise
From the full splendour of thy face.

Play once again the ancient song,
And swiftly pass the wine along;
Let the flame-fever of Thy cup
Irradiate us as we sup.

Why, with thy ringlets for a snare,
Forth to the garden dost thou fare,
When on thy roof a bird there be,
More worthy of thy venery?

Expectant waits the Iraqi sand,
Altirst is Hejaz’ desert land;
To Syria and Kufa give
Husain’s spilled blood, that they may live.

Love spurneth ,the attendant guide,
Alone upon the way he’ll ride,
Nor yield to any man’s control
The reining of his stubborn soul.

To convent foolishly I went,
Upon that threshold to lament,
Until I found my road to be
Direct unto God’s sanctuary.

Behold this lone bird on the wing,
First of the caravan of Spring,
Who in his solitary cage
Carols the message of his age!