Part 4

All Unbelief is Midnight, but Faith the Night-Lamp's glow; Then see that no Thief cometh to steal thy Lamp when low. Our Hope is for the Sunlight, from which the Lamp did shine; The Light from which it kindled, still feeds its flame below. But when the Sun hath risen, both Night and Lamp go out; And Unbelief and Faith then, the higher Vision know. O Night! Why art thou dreaming? O Lamp! Why flickerest so? The swift Sun-horses panting, from East their fire-foam throw. 'Tis Night still in the shadow; the village Lamp burns dim; But in Dawn's Splendour towering, the Peaks Heaven's Glory show.

Dawn

V.

The Day has dawned, thy festal Day, O Rose; Our cheeks all glow in thy bright Ray, O Rose. Love was the Gardener of the Rose-bed there; And now thy Flower blooms forth all gay, O Rose. When Herald Breezes blew: _The Rose!_ the Flowers Kneeling to thee glad Homage pay, O Rose. The Tulips danced; the Lilies, drinking there, Their brightest hues to thee display, O Rose. The Cypress whispered to the Ivy: Wake! Why dream'st thou, Child? She dreamed thy Play, O Rose; The Nightingale a thousand long nights through But trilled thy own sweet Melody, O Rose. The Heavens more fair assume thy radiant form, But thou outviest their Phantasy, O Rose. The Rose a message brings from Paradise Where Souls for thee all eager stay, O Rose. The Rose brings greeting to the Soul from Home; The Soul forgets thee not for aye, O Rose. The Rose unfolds the Sign of Beauty there: God's Seal Himself the Poets say, O Rose. The Soul crowns all Man's festal Cup of Joy; That he with thee may breathe Life's May, O Rose. The Rose is twined in all Life's gladdest Bonds, That Love from Man ne'er flee away, O Rose. Be closed in Buds thy Lips; but there let shine The Smile that ever in thee lay, O Rose.

Allah Hu!

VI.

Sound Drum and mellow Flute, resounding: ALLAH HU[25]! Dance, ruddy Dawn, in Gladness bounding: ALLAH HU! Sun exalted in the Centre, O thou streaming Light; Soul of all wheeling Planets rounding: ALLAH HU! O Hearts! O Worlds! how soon your Dancing all would stop, Did not His Power sustain astounding! ALLAH HU! Love mazy, winding, changing, all embraces, The Night, the Dawn, the Day, resounding: ALLAH HU! Boom, Sea! on Shore, and Rock, thy Music praising God; O Nightingale to Rose trill, sounding: ALLAH HU! O Soul, what if one Star should falter in the Dance? His Will is Order ever founding: ALLAH HU! Who knows Love's mazy circling, ever lives in God; For Death, he knows, is Love abounding: ALLAH HU!

[25] HE is GOD.

Spring

VII.

O Eyes, go forth the Spring to view, That smiles upon our Plains anew. A Heavenly Child in cradling Flowers, Sweet Breath from Skies unclouded drew. The Morning Breeze his Nurse, that rocked His Cradle, with soft Lullings due. The Baby feigns to sleep, and blinks, Shutting his little Eyelids two. And when the Lids are oped again, The Eyebrows drip with sparkling Dew. The Bees hum round and busy sip The Nectar, and make Honey new. O come, and let the Baby's smiles And Laughter, pierce thee through and through. O come, and leave your wintry Cell, And let Heaven's Light thy Life renew. And build new Cells with honey'd Wax, Plann'd like the Bees' six-sided, true. And warmed by radiant Fire of Flowers, Old Winter's reign of Death undo. Regret is dead; Love lives again; New Life transforms the Landscape's Hue. Bold enter, then, green Spring's loved Haunts, And drink fresh Wine, nor fear to rue. And drinking full Love's sweetest Draught, The glowing Heart new Love shall woo. Love wakes afresh in Earth and Heaven; The Rose in green, the Sun in blue. O Nightingale, behold thy Rose! O Eagle, thy bright Sun pursue!

Spring's Festival

VIII.

Our Fasting is over; 'tis Spring's festal Day: Hallelu! O dearest Guest welcome, all Sorrow's away: Hallelu! O Love once forsaken, forsaken Heart now be forsaken; Thy loved One has come, and for ever will stay: Hallelu! The Parting is parted; the Sev'rance at last is all sever'd; The Union united, without more delay: Hallelu! The Flight is now flown off; the Banishment's pain is now banished; All distant the Distance; our Bird Nest all gay: Hallelu! The Moon in the Heavens, the Rose in the Heart, in Love's Garden; The King in his Palace, proud Banners display: Hallelu! Life stirs in the Rootlet; soft Sap in the Leaflet is spreading; Green Buds on the Branches are crowning his Sway: Hallelu! Let come our Foe hated, for now will he meet our Defender; We scorn and defy him, all safe now for aye: Hallelu! Yea, flood me all over, all over with Fire of Love burning; Now well can I bear it; I'll ne'er burn away: Hallelu! And now it is certain my Soul is bound up in Salvation; And all of Earth's sadness is sunk in Earth's clay: Hallelu! O Chalice full brimming, poured out for the thirst of the worlds; We thank thee, we bless thee, and drink while we pray: Hallelu! Long parch'd lay the World, a Desert profane, till thy Breath came On Wings of the Morning, when bright the Dew lay: Hallelu! We longed as we waited for Spring's Sun our Life to renew; JELÁLEDDÍN'S warm Breath from East came to-day: HALLELU!

Dependence

IX.

I am the Vine; Strong Elm, O give me leave, All round thee my fond Tendrils now to weave. I am the Ivy; be my Cedar Trunk, That I no more to Earth's damp soil may cleave. I am the Bird; O come, be my light Wings, That soaring I yon azure Heaven retrieve. I am the Steed; O come and be my spur, That quick the Victor Goal may me receive. I am the Rosebud; O be my own Rose, That gaudy Earth-weeds ne'er my Heart deceive. I am the East; then rise in me, O Sun, Flame up in Light, and all my Pain relieve. I am the Night; O be my Starry Crown, That in Life's darkness I nor fear, nor grieve.

Mystical Union

X.

With Thy sweet Soul, this Soul of mine— Hath mixed as Water doth with Wine. Who can the Wine and Water part, Or me and Thee when we combine? Thou art become my greater Self; Small Bounds no more can me confine. Thou hast my Being taken on, And shall not I now take on Thine? Me Thou for ever hast affirmed, That I may ever know Thee mine. Thy Love has pierced me through and through, Its Thrill with Bone and Nerve entwine. I rest a Flute laid on Thy Lips; A Lute I on Thy Breast recline. Breathe deep in me that I may sigh; Yet strike my Strings, and Tears shall shine. So sweet my Tears, my Sighs so sweet, I to the World its Joys resign. Thou restest in my inmost Soul Whose depths the mirror'd Heaven define. O Pearl in my Mussel Shell: O Diamond in my darkest Mine! My Honey is in Thee dissolved; O Milk of Life, so mild, so fine! Our Sweetnesses all blent in Thee, Give infant Lips their Smiles benign. Thou crushest me to Drops of Rose; Nor 'neath the Press do I repine. In Thy sweet Pain is Pain forgot; For I, Thy Rose, had this design. Thou bad'st me blossom on Thy Robe, And mad'st me for all eyes Thy Sign. And when Thou pour'st me on the World, It blows in Beauty, all Divine.

Identity

XI.

Although thy Brightness glistens in the Sun, indeed; Yet is my Light with thine all radiant, One, indeed! Thou mad'st of Dust all glitt'ring the circling Heavens above; Yet will with mine thy Spirit ne'er Union shun, indeed! To Dust return the Heavens; again Heavens spring from Dust; Yet hast thou in my Being thy own Life spun, indeed! Now have the Words Eternal that through Heaven's vastness ring, Found Home in human Bosom, and dearer none, indeed! Thou hast the Sunbeams hidden, that in the Diamond glow, Deep, deep in Earth's dark Chambers, a Wonder done, indeed! See, though in vile Soil feeding, and drinking filthy slime, To yon Rose peerless Beauty, in Love, hath run, indeed! O Heart, and be it thou swimmest in Flood, or glow'st in Fire, The same are Fire and Flood: Be pure, my Son, indeed! O MEVLANA, at Morning I woke, and found with thee, My Eyes from Tears all brighten'd, and Heaven now won, indeed!

Confession

XII.

O LOVE, to thee I own, I wept in Night's dark Thought; But now thy radiant Sun to me hath bright Day brought. O SOUL of my own Soul, my I as I am Thou: Thou art the All, and I in thee have all I sought. Thou art Life's Sweetness self, Intoxication full,— The brimming Sea of Pearls, the Gold to pureness wrought. Whoe'er approaches thee, must first his Soul resign; He dies beneath thy frown, lives when thy Smile is caught. Thy Favour thrills in fear the trembling Lover's heart, Till comes thy Wrath and smites his Weakness into Naught.

Discordia Concors

XIII.

I saw how Sunward soaring, an Eagle cleaved the air; And how in Shadow sitting, there coo'd a Turtle pair. I saw how o'er the Heavens, the Clouds in Herds rush'd wild; And how close round the Shepherd the Lambkins gather'd fair. I heard the Stars all asking: When shall we rise again? And Buds in Seedlings folded sigh: Doth Love for us care? I saw a Grass blade blossom at Morn and fade at Night; While Cedars braved a thousand Years the Tempests raging there. I saw old Ocean's Billows like Kings all crowned with foam, Then flung from Rocks, down fallen, like Penitents in Prayer. I saw a Dewdrop sparkling, nor did it Danger dread; But, soon consumed, it vanish'd, that sun-bright Jewel rare. I saw close crowding Mankind new Towns and Castles rear; And swarming Ants heaped Hillocks up, with Winter's garner'd fare. I saw the Warhorse prancing and trampling golden Grain; And all his Hoofs were redden'd with the Blood of Love's Despair. I saw the Winter weaving from Flakes a Robe of Death; And the Spring found Earth in Mourning, all naked, lone and bare. I heard Time's Loom a-whirring that wove the Sun's dim Veil; I saw a Worm a-weaving in Life-threads its own Lair. I saw the Great was Smallest, and saw the Smallest Great; For God had set His Likeness on all the Things that were.

Renovation

XIV.

Come, O Springtide of my Love: the World, again, make New! Light in Heaven and Flowers on Earth, o'er Hill and Plain, make New! With the blue gleaming Sun-gem, set thy new green Turban on; And o'er the Fields all verdant, thy floral Train, make New! Paint Meadows fresh with bright Buds, let Hedgerows sprout once more; Rose Breast-Knots, slender Lilies in bathing Rain, make New! Melt with thy warm Breath Winter's iced Coat and frozen Spear; With tender Smile shame Hatred; Peace, ending Pain, make New! The Air pines for thy Whisper, and the Rose's Breath is faint; Then from Slumber rouse thy Zephyrs, and the feather'd Vane, make New! Roll, Thunder, pour thy Bounty adown from bursting Cloud; Now bathe from Head to Foot free, and Death's Disdain, make New! Strike, Pine, upon the Wind-drum! O Plane-tree, clap thy Hands! Brooding Love, the dreamy birth Down on feather'd Train, make New! Vines, twine around the Elm Trees, God's Glory showing fair; While Violets kiss the soft Sod, Spring's sweet Hymn-strain, make New! Hyacinths the Tulips fondle; woos Rose the Nightingale. While Turtles coo in low Notes, my Song's Refrain, make New! Kindle Altar-fire in Blossoms, in Fragrance Incense burn; The Pan Pipes that in dead Grass, long have silent lain, make New! Let Leaves shoot quivering Tongues out, Love's Questionings in Play; And whisp'ring to each other, Love's Wrangling vain, make New. Hark! How the Morning Breezes, at rosy Dawn all call: Up! Up! O Friend, 'tis Spring-time: the Soul's glad Reign, make New! Behold the Spring in Glory! O thou Alchemist of Flowers, Smelt the fiery Glow to Blossoms; our World, again, make New!

Revolving in Mystic Dance

XV.

Come! Come! Thou art the Soul, the Soul so dear, Revolving! Come! Come! Thou art the Cedar, the Cedar's Spear, Revolving! O Come! The Well of Light up-bubbling springs; And Morning Stars exult, in Gladness sheer, Revolving! Of the o'er-arching Heavens, the Highest is the Seventh; But over all thou stretchest, bright, and clear, Revolving! In warmest Arms of Love thou hold'st me clasped, And thee I hold enclasped, soft breathing, near, Revolving! In Sunbeams dance the Motes, by Sunlight grasped, O Sunlight, grasping me, dispel my Fear, Revolving! The Motes dance mute, yet telling all of Love; O silent Love! Teach me thy own Dance here, Revolving!

The Soul in All

XVI.

A mote I in the Sunshine, yet am the Sun's vast Ball; I bid the Sun spread Sunlight, and make the Mote be small. I am the Morning Splendour; I am the Evening Breeze; I am the Leaf's soft Rustle; the Billow's Rise and Fall. I am the Mast and Rudder, the Steersman and the Ship; I am the Cliff out-jutting, the Reef of Coral Wall. I am the Bird Ensnarer, the Bird and Net as well; I am both Glass and Image; the Echo and the Call. I am the Tree and Branches, and all the Birds thereon; I am both Thought and Silence, Tongues' Speech, and Ocean Squall. I am the Flute when piping, and Man's Soul breathing breath; I am the sparkling Diamond, and Metals that enthrall. I am the Grape enclustered, the Wine-press and the Must; I am the Wine, Cup-bearer, and crystal Goblet tall. I am the Flame and Butterfly, which round it circling flits; I am the Rose and Nightingale, the Rose's Passioned Thrall. I am the Cure and Doctor, Disease and Antidote; I am the Sweet and Bitter, the Honey and the Gall. I am the War and Warrior, the Victor and the Field; I am the City peaceful, the Battle and the Brawl. I am the Brick and Mortar, the Builder and the Plan, I am the Base and Gable, new House and ruined Hall. I am the Stag and Lion, the Lamb and black-maw'd Wolf; I am the Keeper of them, who shuts them in one Stall. I am the Chain of Beings, the Ring of circling Worlds; The Stages of Creation, where'er it rise or fall. I am what is and is not; I am—O Thou who know'st, Jeláleddín, O tell it—I AM the SOUL in All!

Responsibility

XVII.

O thou who hast come safely, into this Being's Land; Strange, thou thyself not knowest, how thou didst reach its Strand.— Straight from the great Shah's Chamber, thou cam'st to Being's Town, Sent here to do the Business which he himself had planned. The Lord gave, then, to prove thee, Capacity to do; And as entrusted Capital, thy Sum of Life in hand. How has the Market's Turmoil confused thy Sense and Brain; That thou the Pledge entrusted, can yet not understand? O cease to dream and rouse thee; and do thy Duty well; Buy choicest Pearls more wisely, and give not Gold for Sand. When thou to Home returnest, thou'lt see Him sitting there; Thy Lord with His Book open, and His own faithful Band. He will hold count, and reckon all that Himself did give; And ask how thou did'st use it, when under His Command. And then will come His Blessing, or Curse, both just and sure, According as thy Credit, or thy Debt, summed up shall stand.

Action

XVIII.

Awake! 'Tis Day! Rise up, O Youthful Mussulman! Pack quick thy Goods and Baggage, and catch the Caravan. O List! I hear it coming, 'twill sweep past while you sleep; Hark! Tinkling Bells are calling to come, while come you can. When once the Desert Sand-storm has o'er the Foot-prints blown, You them will find no longer, however close you scan. Up! Brace yourself for Action, as a Man all prompt and bold; And waste not Life fond, dreaming, in idlesse, pining, wan. Think of your noble Forbears, the gallant Youth of old; Of Rustum, bravest Hero; of Sal, the Pehlevan.[26] Be, too, of Right the Champion, Knight of the spotless Sun! Fall not a Prey to Darkness, o'erthrown by Ahriman. When once in struggle valiant, the earthly Soul is slain, The Heavenly Soul bears proudly Life's Banner in the Van. When thou thyself hast conquered, and triumphed in the Fight; A diamond Ring thou'lt ever shine, in our Lord Shah's Divan.

[26] Pehlevan, _i.e._ of the old heroic Age. 'Rustum, the "Hercules" of Persia, and Zál his Father, whose exploits are among the most celebrated in the Sháhnáma' (Fitzgerald). Compare Matthew Arnold's 'Sohrab and Rustum. An Episode.'

Bondage

XIX.

Complain not that in Chains, thou here art firmly bound; Complain not that Earth's Yoke, doth crush thee to the Ground. Complain not that the World is but a Prison wide; 'Tis only thy complainings that build thy Dungeon round. And ask not how Life's Riddle will finally unfold; For soon without thy asking, unfolded 'twill be found. Say not Love has forsaken or yet forgotten thee; Love ne'er has Man forsaken; thy Words all falsely sound. Nor tremble when Death dreaded appears in Terror's Form; He falls before the Hero, who is with Courage crowned. Ne'er chase the Phantom, Pleasure; for like a hungry Lion, 'Twill turn and rend in pieces the Hunter most renowned. Throw not thyself in Fetters; else will Men sternly say: Complain not of thy Fetters; for thou thyself hast bound.

Love's Freedom

XX.

O Bird, that freest to Freedom win; Love caged thee in that Prison thin. O Soul, if thou, too, wouldst be free, Then love the Love that shuts thee in. 'Tis Love that twisteth every Snare; 'Tis Love that snaps the Bond of Sin. Love sounds the Music of the Spheres; Love echoes through Earth's harshest Din. Love fills with Fragrance Heaven's sweet Air; Love's deft Hands Life's gold Fibres spin. The World is God's pure Mirror clear, To Eyes when free from Clouds within. With Love's own Eyes the Mirror view, And there see God to Self akin. Then praise Him, Soul, enflamed with Love As Larks in Dawn, new Songs begin.

In My Heart

XXI.

O, what a Throb of Toil is in my Heart! What Shrine's crowd-trodden Soil is in my Heart! The Spring has come; again the Sower sows, And all the Season's Moil is in my Heart. The Veil which hid the World's fair face is drawn; Disclosed, its inmost Coil is in my Heart. The Heart must higher rise, than setting Suns; The Sun-dance nought can foil is in my Heart. The Heart has well been named the Shah's own throne; And warm anointing Oil is in my Heart. The Heart's deep Ocean rolls a thousand waves; And rich Pearl-diver's Spoil is in my Heart. Jeláleddín! The Heart is sure both Mine and Mint; For Fire, as Gold did boil, is in my Heart.

Not Deaf to Love

XXII.

O Brother hear! Be deaf no more, to Love: Thy heart now open to its Core, to Love! Hast thou in Pride, all vain, upraised thy Head? Come bend it now down to the Floor, to Love. In Dust thou shalt new living Grace receive, As Spring awakes the Landscape frore, to Love. And once thou hast put on Love's Leaves and Flowers, Comes golden Fruit in Autumn hoar, to Love. And when thou fadest sere, then burn thyself; And give thy Ashes, all Earth bore, to Love. And wing'd, from Ashes wilt thou fairer rise; And with Love's highest Message soar, to Love.

Assimilation

XXIII

New Sword from Maker's Hand, in Edge and Point all bright; See that in dirty Scabbard, it rust not, out of Sight! Gold that in Miser's Coffer, in Blackness meanly lay, Upon the Shah's Throne gleaming, becomes a World's Delight. When full Clouds pour the Rain-drops, lo! every glad Tree drinks; Fruits redden on the Apple tree, as Leaves grow pale in Fright. This Stalk an empty Pipe still, in that sweet Sugar swells; Yet both did sip the same Tank, at Morning, Noon, and Night. One Deer distils perfumed Musk, another bitterest Gall, Yet grazed together, side by side, upon the self-same Height. Two creeping Worms together fed upon the same green Leaf; One spins mere useless Theadlets, the other Silk aright. The Bee's Lip, and the Snake's sucked from the self-same Flower; The one made Honey's Sweetness, the other Poison's Bite. One dines, and all his Nutriment transmutes to Life divine; Another's Food is souring to Hatred and to Spite. One's Eyes drink Light till blinded; the other stores it up, And glows in rosy Brightness, Love-robed in red and white. Be pure in all thy Members, and from Nature's golden Tree Pluck God's own Blessing daily, and grow in Manhood's Might.

Cleanliness

XXIV.

Clean be kept thy Garment, and Clean be kept thy Mouth and Hand. Clean thy Garment from false Gawds Clean from all Earth's Filth thy Hand. Clean thy Heart from earthly Spite; Clean thy Lips from Greed's Demand. Outer Threshhold ever clean, Clean within let all Things stand. House all clean, might entertain Angel from the Heavenly Land. Clean the Food, and clean the cup, Clean the Wall from smoking Brand. Son! Thy outward Cleanliness Pledge of inward is, when scanned. Clean let Hand and Mouth be kept; Clean thy Garment's every Strand.

Where is He?

XXV.

I ask all I meet: Where is He? In me incomplete: Where is He? The Tree of my Thought stretch'd on high, Reach'd not to His Seat: Where is He? I ask of the Wanderers by Day: My loved One, most sweet, Where is He? I ask of the Keepers of Vines: My loved One, most sweet, Where is He? I rush through the Woods and the Fields, And ask the Stag fleet: Where is He? At Night when in Darkness He hides, In Fear I repeat: Where is He? I ask of the Sun and the Moon, And Stars in retreat: Where is He? He is not with me. Who has seen The Path of His Feet? Where is He? O Master, if thou hast Him found, O tell, I entreat: Where is He?

Love's Slavery

XXVI.

Come, and be Love's willing Slave; Thee Love's Slavery will save. Leave the Slavery of the World, Take Love's Service, sweet and brave. The Free, the World makes enslaved; Aye to Slaves, Love Freedom gave. As the Bird freed from the Egg, From the World release I crave. Free me from the Shell that clings; Give me Life as from the Grave. O Love, the Quail in Spring's Free Fields, In Songs of wildest Joy must rave.

Psyche in Tears

XXVII.

Psyche sits, and lovelier seems; Ah! she of her Lover dreams! Still his Kiss she softly feels; Still his Smile in Fancy gleams. But in Light she fain would see Love's own Self, nor wrong it deems. Trembling her white Hand hath ta'en Lamp to light, as Fancy schemes. There by flickering Flame she scans Beauty which she Heaven esteems. But the fluttering Oil did shake, Shamed to find eclipsed its Beams. Fell one hot Drop on Love's Hand: Oh! the Lover waken'd screams! Love light-pinion'd flies away; Psyche's Wings, Tears drench in Streams.

Substitutional

XXVIII.

Where the cleansing Water fails, Sand, as Substitute, avails. This, at Need, the Prophet gave; And his Rule to-day prevails. Know ye, O Believers, why? Hear the Truth the Sage unveils.— The Desert oft no Water shows, But never Sand the Traveller fails. From the Desert I will guide Him who me as Leader hails. To where living Waters flow, To the Garden Love empales. Bathe there in Abundance full, Where no hostile Drought assails. Full, that Stream Bath, now enjoy'd, Freedom from Sand Bath entails. So from Formulas made free, Spirit Life o'er all prevails.— Master! Thy high Soul hath seen Truth through all its hiding Veils.

God's Throne

XXIX.