1. Her mouth and lips told tales of the soul's rapture,
Meanings wafted gently like the winds' soft murmur.

2. And she told of the gazelles and their meadows fair
True stories that even false blood could not impair.

3. To night's gloom she sent branches to portray
Her image in the boughs at break of day.

4. The glitter of her water tricks the sight
We think the dawn's a brook of golden light,

5. When the kohl touches her bowed eyelids, it seems
Her lashes dance under raven tresses' gleams.

6. The lovelorn sniff her trace till they swoon dead
As violets bend when storm clouds loom overhead.

7. Her cheeks in the saffron dawn are rich cream white
Her hair through darkness is the Pleiads' starlight,

8. A lion with his savage wrath is she,
Yet round her neck the lissome fawn dances free.

9. If she bestows a kind or tender look
Turtle-doves gather, warbling as in a nook,

10. With her fair wrists the bangles' circlet small
Seems like the sunburst at dawn's first pall,

11. Her beauty spot's a cunning thief who spread
His stolen hoard, while blood in droplets shed,

12. Calmly upon her neck the earrings sway
The bough coils up - a slithering snake are they!

13. As if her witching in the dawn's first shaft
Bound men below while she in sunlight laughed!

14. What race exists, from oceans' pearls to the
Fount of life itself, where men did not flee

15. To her, what falling stars but the twined zone
Around her waist, about the sun's bright throne?

16. The hatred in her foes, the love in friends
From that soft cheek its secret influence lends,

17. They who love's nest would build high out of reach
Must pluck the boughs hope twines about for each.

18. For her a lion tribe whose very cubs
Roar for the fray while scimitars stay sheathed,

19. These mediaeval coats of mail still donned
Show their white faces luminous as the morn,

20. Seeking in their fair features meaning bright
The dewdrops find in love lyrics their delight,

21. When bared blades they smile, like their eyes' dark ken,
Though black the lashes, still no brows to pen!

22. They who in war's travail or peace stand guard
Pounce at each faint sound swiftly on their prey.

23. Honour with them is guarded zealously
They seldom sleep to keep her company,

24. With their life's blood they made their sacrament
A musk-gazelle's soft cheek their monument,

25. Their coats are silks from India, faces dark
In colour, while in race they're nobly stark,

26. Unschooled, no scribing hand have they, but when
They write, blood's their fluid ink in gold pen!

27. They tamed the lightning's jagged angry tongue,
Smiling as clouds through which they headlong plunged,

28. And when death gapes to bare his greedy fangs
They stitch his lips in one courageous pang!

29. Their valour is their hoard, their rule of might
Is to usurp the rule, once won their right.

30. And if you wonder why women are close-fisted
Look to Ali's open hand that never missed!

31. O Thou who gav'st such gifts as make her eyes
The seat from which the shafts of kindness rise!

32. Were her fair traits equated with the stars
She would outshine the noblest names of Mars!

33. She is a cloud compassionately sad,
Putting out the sun's fires as her tears patter,

34. She wonders much at thee, else would not gather
Mirth's Sweet brooks, they flow when wonderment's the father.

35. Though named a monarch, yet like common wood
One takes in kinds however noble the breed!

36. In him two qualities combine and blend:
Courage and wisdom both in measure true.

37. With cool contempt he views the waving spears,
Too trivial to arouse his concern or fears,

38. Power he views as nectar treacherously sweet,
Its hollow reeds like pipes through which we eat.

39. But for his judgment's strong and binding rope
High place would lose its links and rungs would grope,

40. He guards the just, and drops pretenders' masks,
So, foam reveals itself as foul or fair.

41. In each firm limb some quality resides
To create seas or raging storms provide.

42. War's terrors are to him sport's opening moves,
His hand makes lightly wave the heavy spear,

43. Though flames spread in the meadows where his horse
Galloped, more wondrous still's the sparks' source!

44. His spear tip is a star with tail of light
Above it is the dark blue vault of night.

45. If that slim stem were grasped within his fist
Ripe dates, thick-clustered, would fall ere he desist!

46. The scent of flowers from Kaba's veil blows sweet,
The lineage of the Prophet makes musk complete.

47. What is dust before his essence pure? Compare
Perfumes with him, their sweetness frail and spare!

48. The verse of purity has truly rid
His raiment of all filth - his sword lies hid!

49. They were a folk to whom God gave life
Revealed for them Chapter and Verse and Sign.

50. They are like angels, but in mortal guise,
Upholders of faith beneath the open skies,

51. Sons come of glorious and generous strains
Reared on weaned hearts' most noble milk sustained!

52. If named "The Merciful" low they incline,
Though raging battle rend their souls benign!

53. When viewed their flower-faces fill the sight
As if they came from Precincts of the Light.

54. Wherever they alight is Truth's own land,
Wherever they depart she too must stand.

55. Sea of unstinted bounty, though winds blew
They seethed and swayed, assailed, yet gentle grew,

56. Their sweet scent when perceived could only mean
They close to Holiness had ventured near.

57. The sober dawn still knows from what pure wine
Their souls had light this starless dark to shine!

58. As if they chose thee out of all mankind,
Thee, Source of Glory, Excellence designed!

59. To follow them they left thee as their Guide,
Then vanished, thee to Leadership applied.

60. Each land whose love from thee an instant passed
Was left a lifeless corpse, all peace outcast.

61. Deprived of thee, deprived its love must be,
Nor Dust's soft cheek shows lively ermine's glee!

62. But for thy presence it had mourned their fate,
As mourns the grass when rains have left it sere!

63. If mete of what they did was thy deal due,
Then for their sins they would have perished too!

64. But hoping on that Most Compassionate King
Men court not His reward in anything.

65. Though their solid ranks didst tear and tame,
Against thee still they plotting came.

66. Thy Light they thought to dim in deadly fight
But God fulfilled in thee His Mighty Light!

67. The more they kindled flames themselves to burn
The more against themselves those fires turn!

68. God has shamed their gossip and their lies, else
They had not earned Untruth's most wretched prize.

69. Then bravely don the bride, High Place's veil,
With blows that make the tall gazelles to quail!

70. And put on raiment dyed incarnadine
In their own blood, while spears and arrows rain!

71. Then joy when tidings spread like wildfire round
That thy staunch lover shall to thee be bound!

72. A day wherein the Friend shall glowing come,
While on the foe shall settle fear and doom!

73. Still swear to thee the spear tops glittering bright,
And glorious on thy foemen pours their blight!