TO THE
POPPY.

LET the bards of YEMEN praise

GAUTHA’s groves, and musky gales;

Let the song of rapture raise

All the sweets of SHEDAD’s vales.

SARU boast her favor’d soil,

Orange walks, and viny fields,

That reward their planter’s toil

With every fruit luxuriance yields.

Let the blushful goblet glow

Rich with sparkling draughts of joy;

Let the land of HIND bestow

Gems and gold without alloy.

Pure as ZAGAN’s breezes breathe,

Pure as springs her fount of health,

BENDER-CONGO’s waves bequeath

Boundless gifts of pearly wealth.

Incense from the shades of LAR,

Diamonds bring from KORGA’s shore,

Gleaming like the morning star

On the swords of NIZABOUR!

SHIRABEH! still thy genial veins afford

A nobler banquet and a richer hoard.

What’s wealth, what’s wine, or balms that scent the air,

To that which eases GRIEF and sooths DESPAIR?

Let the buds of BEAUTY bloom,

Living roses of delight;

Smiling mirth dispelling gloom,

Clad in robes of ruby light.

Every charm with these combine,

FANCY forms and POETS sing;

All that HOPE e’er pictured, mine,

All that FEAR in shades can fling.

Let the worldly-wise disclaim

ACHMED’s hopes and ACHMED’s fears,

Strive to blast his every aim,

And veil his views in clouds of tears.

SHIRABEH! still thy lacteal veins produce

A vital spirit, an etherial juice,

Whose SECRET POWERS thro’ midnight shades display

Far lovelier prospects than th’ autumnal day;

With sportive zephyr blend AFFLICTION’s sigh;

In bowers of bliss seal SORROW’s wasted eye;

Improve the bloom of BEAUTY’s virgin rose;

Heighten each joy that rapturous LOVE bestows;

Aid FANCY’s wing thro’ starry realms to soar;

And ope the treasuries of mystic lore;

To flights sublime inspire the POET’s lay,

’Till sweet Delirium waft his soul away;

Away to unknown regions of delight,

Where forms irradiant meet the wondering sight;

Where happy spirits all benignant glow,

While SELF-LOVE’s giant mantle shrowds the world below.