IMPRECATIONS
Through the long night a falcon cried, "Awake, awake thee! youth! anon Thy maiden will become a bride: She puts her marriage garments on. Awake! awake thee, youth! and send A marriage blessing to thy friend."
"What! shall I be a marriage guest? And shall I bid the maid be blest? Hear then my marriage blessing hear! No son her barren womb shall bear: May every bit of bread she breaks Bring with it wretchedness and woe,— For every drop her thirst that slakes May tears of bitter anguish flow!" S. J. B.
XXXI
SECRETS DIVULGED
Two lovers kiss each other in the meadows; They think that no one sees the fond betrayal, But the green meadows see them, and are faithless; To the white flocks incontinent they say all; And the white flocks proclaim it to the shepherd, The shepherd to a high-road traveller brings it He to a sailor on the restless ocean tells it, The sailor to his spice-ship thoughtless sings it; The spice-ship whispers it upon the waters, The waters rush to tell the maiden's mother.
And thus impassioned spoke the lovely maiden— "Meadows! of spring-days never see another! Flocks! may the cruel ravenous wolves destroy ye. Thee, shepherd! may the cruel Moslem slaughter. Wanderer! may oft thy slippery footsteps stumble. Thee, sailor! may the ocean billows smother. Ship! may a fire unquenchable consume thee; And sink into the earth, thou treacherous water!" S. J. B.
XXXII
WISHES
O that I were a little stream, That I might flow to him—to him! How should I dance with joy, when knowing To whom my sparkling wave was flowing! Beneath his window would I glide, And linger there till morning-tide; When first he rouses him to dress In comely garb his manliness,— Then should he weak, or thirsty be, O he might stoop to drink of me! Or baring there his bosom, lave That bosom in my rippling wave O what a bliss, if I could bear The cooling power of quiet there! S. J. B.