Sky-scalers—madcaps—with wine-wetted dresses - Abdallah Nihauni

Summer yet lingers, yet blushes and blesses,

Dazzling the dells with her sunbeamy tresses:

Here let us revel, defying excesses.

SKY-SCALERS—MADCAPS—WITH WINE-WETTED DRESSES!

Wine and the lute. amid roses and jesses¹,

Make our earth Eden. as Hafez confesses;

Sultans have troubles, but nothing depresses

SKY-SCALERS—MADCAPS—WITH WINE-WETTED DRESSES!

Man cannot live upon berries and cresses;

Life's is a banquet luxuriant in messes;

Deep let us drink while Existence pro-gresses,

SKY-SCALERS—MADCAPS—WITH WINE-WETTED DRESSES!

Nought will we know of past woes or successes;

Nought will we yield to but Pleasure's caresses;

Nought but the Spirit Of Riot possesses

SKY-SCALERS—MADCAPS—WITH WINE-WETTED DRESSES!

Slaves, whom the load of the Present oppresses.

Fools, who would fathom the Future's recesses,

Kiss the goose², all of ye! Nothing distresses

SKY-SCALERS—MADCAPS—WITH WINE-WETTED DRESSES!

Who shall hereafter (all fame retrogresses)

Know of Nihaun and his friends but by guesses?

Deep let us drink then, unfearing excesses,

SKY-SCALERS—MADCAPS—WITH WINE-WETTED DRESSES!

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Abdallah Nihauni (born 1519) Turkey

Translator not stated

Source: The Dublin University Magazine, A Literary and Political Journal, Volume 11, No. 63, March 1838 (p.294)

1. Jasmine
2. A drinking-vessel shaped like a goose