FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152  
153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   >>   >|  
XIX. "The shallop of a trusty Moor Conveyed me from this idle shore; I longed to see the isles that gem Old Ocean's purple diadem: I sought by turns, and saw them all;[170] But when and where I joined the crew, 840 With whom I'm pledged to rise or fall, When all that we design to do Is done,'twill then be time more meet To tell thee, when the tale's complete. XX. "'Tis true, they are a lawless brood, But rough in form, nor mild in mood; And every creed, and every race, With them hath found--may find a place: But open speech, and ready hand, Obedience to their Chief's command; 850 A soul for every enterprise, That never sees with Terror's eyes; Friendship for each, and faith to all, And vengeance vowed for those who fall, Have made them fitting instruments For more than e'en my own intents. And some--and I have studied all Distinguished from the vulgar rank, But chiefly to my council call The wisdom of the cautious Frank:-- 860 And some to higher thoughts aspire. The last of Lambro's[171] patriots there Anticipated freedom share; And oft around the cavern fire On visionary schemes debate, To snatch the Rayahs[172] from their fate. So let them ease their hearts with prate Of equal rights, which man ne'er knew; I have a love for freedom too. Aye! let me like the ocean-Patriarch[173] roam, 870 Or only know on land the Tartar's home![174] My tent on shore, my galley on the sea, Are more than cities and Serais to me:[175] Borne by my steed, or wafted by my sail, Across the desert, or before the gale, Bound where thou wilt, my barb! or glide, my prow! But be the Star that guides the wanderer, Thou! Thou, my Zuleika, share and bless my bark; The Dove of peace and promise to mine ark![176] Or, since that hope denied in worlds of strife, 880 Be thou the rainbow to the storms of life! The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray![177] Blest--as the Muezzin's strain from Mecca's wall To pilgrims pure and prostrate at his call; Soft--as the melody of youthful days, That steals the tre
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152  
153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

freedom

 
cities
 

Serais

 

Tartar

 

galley

 

hearts

 
Rayahs
 
snatch
 

visionary

 

schemes


debate

 

Patriarch

 

rights

 

guides

 

morrow

 
prophetic
 

clouds

 
storms
 

evening

 

smiles


Muezzin

 

strain

 

melody

 
youthful
 

steals

 

pilgrims

 

prostrate

 

rainbow

 
wanderer
 

cavern


Across

 

desert

 
Zuleika
 

denied

 

worlds

 

strife

 
promise
 
wafted
 

chiefly

 

complete


design
 

lawless

 

longed

 

shallop

 

trusty

 

Conveyed

 

purple

 
pledged
 

joined

 
sought