His name is Ibn ‘Ali, and he was in the emperor's service. The following verses are by him:—

“Thy brow is not furrowed from coquetry.
The ocean of thy beauty is rising in billows, and this is the
reason of those furrows.
Thou art still intoxicated with the wine of coquetry
As is evident, my dark beauty, from thy arrogance.
Why, like the candle, should I bring the fire of my heart to
my tongue?
Since its fire is clearly to be seen in the fiery sighs which I
heave.
What need is there of the new moon on the night of 'Īd
To thee, from the opening in whose sleeve the new moon is
apparent?”

“Her two ruby lips have between them the water of life. ³⁸³
True it is that whenever two who are friends to the death
come together there is ever a life between them.”*

“As no dust settles on the mirror so my heart is vexed by
nobody.
For I have ceased to hope for manhood from the people of
this age.”

“Happy is that state of intoxication which leads me enrap-
tured to thee
And is so deep that I cannot be removed from thy street.”

“In my unrest I am ever seized by the desire of visiting the
street of that moonlike beauty.
But the thought of her infidelities arrests me by the
way.”

“Her ringlet trembles on her cheek with the zephyr of my
sigh
As the smoke of the candle trembles in the passing breeze.”