تَوَهَّمتُ بِالخَيفِ رَسماً مُحيلا

لِعَزَّةَ تَعرِفُ مِنهُ الطَلولا

I fancied in the dark a wondrous shape

That lofty 'Azzah's keen eyes recognise

تَبَدَّلَ بِالحِيِّ صَوتَ الصَدى

وَنَوحَ الحَمامَةِ تَدعو هَديلا

The echo's voice was changed in the ravines

And the dove lamented with a plaintive cry

مَتى أَرَيَنَّ كَما قَد أَرى

لِعَزَّةَ بِالمَحوِ يَوماً حُمولا

When shall I see, as I was wont to see

Loftiest 'Azzah by fate one day laid low?

بِقاعِ النَقيعِ فَحِصنِ الحِمى

يُباهينَ بِالرَقمِ غَيماً مُخيلا

On the hill-slopes of Naqi' and fort Himá

Vapours in pride the written lines outgo

أَنَحنَ القُرونَ فَغَلَّلنَها

كَعَقلِ العَسيفِ غَرابيبَ ميلا

Have we bent the necks of the centuries? Nay,

Like camel's nose-ring we have bent them low

كَأَنّي أَكُفُّ وَقَد أَمعَنَت

بِها مِن سُمَيحَةَ غَرباً سَجيلا

As though I checked her, yet to Samahat

The glooms of eve she westwards headlong flew

وَما أُمُّ خِشفٍ تَرعى بِهِ

أَراكاً عَميماً وَدَوحاً ظَليلا

No mother-ostrich is there who will guard

An 'Arak-tree leafless, a lonely palm

وَإِن هِيَ قامَت فَما أَثلَهُ

بِعَليا تُناوِحُ ريحاً أَصيلا

And if she rose, none like her ever breathed

The morning breeze, so nobly panting, calm

بِأَحسَنَ مِنها وَإِن أَدبَرَت

فَإِرخٌ بِجُمَّةَ تَقرو خَميلا

Fairer than she, though she turn back in scorn

The sand grouse in the valley gladly camp

يَجولُ الوِشاحُ بِأَقرابِها

وَتَأبى خَلاخِلُها أَن تَجولا

The litter wanders with her kith and kin

But her anklets refuse all wandering

وَتَمشي الهُوَينا إِذا أَقبَلَت

كَما بَهَرَ الجَزعَ سَيلاً ثَقيلا

And the wild cows as they draw nigh do pace

As the flooded torrents a hillside rend

فَطوراً يَسيلُ عَلى قَصدِهِ

وَطَوراً يُراجِعُ كَي لا يَسيلا

Now smoothly flowing and now turning back

Lest they should burst their banks as they descend

كَما مالَ أَبيَضُ ذو نَشوَةٍ

بِصَرخَدَ باكِرَ كَأساً شَمولا

As the white warrior of tried prowess reeled

At dawn by Sarakhid with brimming cup

فَإِن شِئتَ قُلتَ لَهُ صادِقاً

وَجَدتُكَ بِالقُفِّ ضَبّاً جَحولا

Then if you told him truly, you would say

I found you by the wadi-side entrapped

مِنَ اللاءِ يَحفِرنَ تَحتَ الكُدى

وَلا يَبتَغينَ الدِماثَ السُهولا

From the evening-potions that hollow out

The rocks, nor seek they the smooth easy paths

وَجَرَّبتَ صِدقِيَ عِندَ الحِفاظِ

وَلَكِن تَعاشَيتَ أَو كُنتَ فيلا

You proved my troth before the wise and learnt

Or else you shunned or played the elephant