Love at my door - Anonymous

Love at my door 

Knocked and I gave him bed. 

When sleep saw this 

He took offence and fled. 

‘Give me back sleep; 

Where has he gone?’ I said. 

They said: ‘Our friend 

That kept the sure straight way, 

Who has done this 

To send you so astray, 

To lead you blind 

Into the sand?’ said they. 

The King was in no way averse to listening to the tale of Shahrazad
by Eric Fraser
From the Folio Society edition of 1958

I said: ‘Not I, 

But she must answer make. 

I could but cry: 

My blood, which is hers to take, 

Lies heavily 

Not spilled yet for her sake. 

I chose a girl 

To put my thought in her; 

She is my thought, 

My thought’s her imager; 

Now she is gone 

Fire is my comforter. 

See for yourselves! 

Even Allah like a lover 

From molten threads 

Of the syrup of life wove her; 

Then made all gems 

And fruits with what was over.’ 

But they said: ‘Fool, 

Small joy and, for the rest, 

Torture and tears 

And hugging to the breast 

Shades on a pool. 

The first drink is the best.’ 

‘If I am drunk 

I came not so by drinking, 

It was enough 

To see the ruby winking 

There in the glass— 

Sleep saw it too, I’m thinking. 

It’s not that time 

Has passed, but that so has she, 

It’s not that love 

Won’t last, but that nor will she, 

Not that life’s gone, 

But that she’s gone from me. 

My soul is bound 

By the scents of her body, 

Jasmine and musk 

And rose of her body, 

Amber and nard. 

The scents of her body.’

---

Anonymous (pre 9th cenury) Iraq (ancient Persia)

Translated by Dr J. C. Mardrus (into French) and Powys Mathers (from the French into English)

Source: The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume I, Dorset Press, 1987