And fled in pretty frowns away He stood before the tumbling main As if in him the welkin walked, The winds took flesh, the mountains talked, And he the bard, a crystal soul Sphered and concentric with the whole. II The Dervish whined to Said, "Thou didst not tarry while I prayed. Beware the fire that Eblis burned." But Saadi coldly thus returned, "Once with manlike love and fear I gave thee for an hour my ear, I kept the sun and stars at bay, And love, for words thy tongue could say. I cannot sell my heaven again For all that rattles in thy brain.” ' III Said Saadi," When I stood before I scorned the fame of Timour brave; When wisdom not with me resides, "2 IV The civil world will much forgive Once a member, all was mine, Houses, banquets, gardens, fountains, But if I would walk alone, Was neither cloak nor crumb my own. But when she spread her dearest spells, Or I might at will forbear; Yet mark me well, that idle word The light wherewith all planets shone, It fell in rain, it grew in grain, It put on flesh in friendly form, In Milton and in Angelo : I travelled and found it at Rome; Eastward it filled all Heathendom And it lay on my hearth when I came home.' Mask thy wisdom with delight, Toy with the bow, yet hit the white, As Jelaleddin old and gray; He seemed to bask, to dream and play Without remoter hope or fear Than still to entertain his ear And pass the burning summer-time God only knew how Saadi dined; The mountain waters washed him clean Saadi held the Muse in awe, She was his mistress and his law ; A twelvemonth he could silence hold, Charmed from fagot and from steel, The free winds told him what they knew, The birds brought auguries on their wings, Him to beckon, him to warn ; PALE genius roves alone, No scout can track his way, None credits him till he have shown His diamonds to the day. |