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But she drew back and held his hand in check,
Deriding him: What do you want, old man?
Old hypocrite of love, who talks but can
Do nothing else? To prove your love declare
That your religion is my rippling hair.
Love s more than childish games, if you agree --
For love -- to imitate my blasphemy
You can embrace me here; if not, you may
Take up your stick and hobble on your way.
The abject sheikh had sunk to such a state
That he could not resist his wretched fate;
Now ignorant of shame and unafraid,
He heard the Christian s wishes and obeyed --
The old wind sidled through the old man s veins
And like a twisting compass turned his brains;
Old wine, young love, a lover far too old,
Her soft arms welcoming -- could he be cold?
Beside himself with love and drink he cried:
Command me now; whatever you decide
I will perform. I spurned idolatry
When sober, but your beauty is to me
An idol for whose sake I ll gladly burn
My faith s Koran. Now you begin to learn,
Now you are mine, dear sheikh, she said. Sleep well,
Sweet dreams; our ripening fruit begins to swell.
News spread among the Christians that this sheikh
Had chosen their religion for love s sake.
They took him to a nearby monastery,
Where he accepted their theology;
He burnt his dervish cloak and set his face
Against the faith and Mecca s holy place --
After so many years of true belief,
A young girl brought this learnèd sheikh to grief.
He said: This dervish has been well betrayed;
The agent was mere passion for a maid.
I must obey her now -- what I have done
Is worse than any crime beneath the sun.
(How many leave the faith through wine! It is
The mother of such evil vagaries.)
Whatever you required is done, he said.
What more remains? I have bowed down my head
In love s idolatry, I have drunk wine;
May no one pass through wretchedness like mine!
Love ruins one like me, and black disgrace
Now stares a once-loved dervish in the face.
For fifty years I walked an open road
While in my heart high seas of worship flowed;
Love ambushed me and at its sudden stroke
For Christian garments I gave up my cloak;
The Ka abah has become love s secret sign,
And homeless love interprets the Divine.
Consider what, for your sake, I have done --
Then tell me, when shall we two be as one?
Hope for that moment justifies my pain;
Have all my troubles been endured in vain?
The girl replied: But you are poor, and I
Cannot be cheaply won -- the price is high;
Bring gold, and silver too, you innocent --
Then I might pity your predicament;
But you have neither, therefore go -- and take
A beggar s alms from me; be off, old sheikh!
Be on your travels like the sun -- alone;
Be manly now and patient, do not groan!
A fine interpretation of your vow,
The sheikh replied; my love, look at me now --
I have no one but you; your cypress gait,
Your silver form, decide my wretched fate.
Take back your cruel command; each moment you
Confuse me by demanding something new.
I have endured your absence, promptly done
All you have asked -- what profit have I won?
I ve passed beyond loss, profit, Islam, crime,
For how much longer must I bide my time?
Is this what we agreed? My friends have gone,
Despising me, and I am here alone.
They follow one way, you another -- I
Stand witless here uncertain where to fly;
I know without you heaven would be hell,
Hell heaven with you; more I cannot tell.
At last his protestations moved her heart,
You are too poor to play the bridegroom s part,
She said, but be my swineherd for a year
And then we ll stay together, never fear.
The sheikh did not refuse -- a fractious way
Estranges love; he hurried to obey.
This reverend sheikh kept swine -- but who does not
Keep something swinish in his nature s plot?
Do not imagine only he could fall;
This hidden danger lurks within us all,
Rearing its bestial head when we begin
To tread salvation s path -- if you think sin
Has no place in your nature, you can stay
Content at home; you are excused the Way.
But if you start our journey you will find
That countless swine and idols tease the mind --
Destroy these hindrances to love or you
Must suffer that disgrace the sad sheikh knew.
Despair unmanned his friends; they saw his plight
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