Bird Parliament · 14 of 20

The Birds' Hesitation

He ceased, and for awhile Amazement quell'd The Host, and in the Chain of Silence held: A Mystery so awful who would dare-- So glorious who would not wish--to share? So Silence brooded on the feather'd Folk, Till here and there a timid Murmur broke From some too poor in honest Confidence, And then from others of too much Pretence; Whom both, as each unduly hoped or fear'd, The Tajidar in answer check'd or cheer'd.

Some said their Hearts were good indeed to go The Way he pointed out: but they were slow Of Comprehension, and scarce understood Their present Evil or the promised Good: And so, tho' willing to do all they could, Must not they fall short, or go wholly wrong, On such mysterious Errand, and so long? Whom the wise Leader bid but Do their Best In Hope and Faith, and leave to Him the rest, For He who fix'd the Race, and knew its Length And Danger, also knew the Runner's Strength.

Shah Mahmud, absent on an Enterprise, Ayas, the very Darling of his eyes, At home under an Evil Eye fell sick, Then cried the Sultan to a soldier 'Quick! To Horse! to Horse! without a Moment's Stay,-- The shortest Road with all the Speed you may,-- Or, by the Lord, your Head shall pay for it!'-- Off went the Soldier, plying Spur and Bit-- Over the sandy Desert, over green Valley, and Mountain, and the Stream between, Without a Moment's Stop for rest or bait, Up to the City--to the Palace Gate-- Up to the Presence-Chamber at a Stride-- And Lo! The Sultan at his Darling's side!-- Then thought the Soldier--'I have done my Best, And yet shall die for it.' The Sultan guess'd His Thought and smiled. 'Indeed your Best you did, The nearest Road you knew, and well you rid: And if I knew a shorter, my Excess Of Knowledge does but justify thy Less.'

And then, with drooping Crest and Feather, came Others, bow'd down with Penitence and Shame. They long'd indeed to go; 'but how begin, Mesh'd and entangled as they were in Sin Which often-times Repentance of past Wrong As often broken had but knit more strong?' Whom the wise Leader bid be of good cheer, And, conscious of the Fault, dismiss the Fear, Nor at the very Entrance of the Fray Their Weapon, ev'n if broken, fling away: Since Mercy on the broken Branch anew Would blossom were but each Repentance true.

For did not God his Prophet take to Task? 'Sev'n-times of Thee did Karun Pardon ask; Which, hadst thou been like Me his Maker--yea, But present at the Kneading of his Clay With those twain Elements of Hell and Heav'n,-- One prayer had won what Thou deny'st to Sev'n.'

For like a Child sent with a fluttering Light To feel his way along a gusty Night Man walks the World: again and yet again The Lamp shall be by Fits of Passion slain: But shall not He who sent him from the Door Relight the Lamp once more, and yet once more?

When the rebellious Host from Death shall wake Black with Despair of Judgment, God shall take Ages of holy Merit from the Count Of Angels to make up Man's short Amount, And bid the murmuring Angel gladly spare Of that which, undiminishing his Share, Of Bliss, shall rescue Thousands from the Cost Of Bankruptcy within the Prison lost.

Another Story told how in the Scale Good Will beyond mere Knowledge would prevail.

In Paradise the Angel Gabriel heard The Lips of Allah trembling with the Word Of perfect Acceptation: and he thought 'Some perfect Faith such perfect Answer wrought, But whose?'--And therewith slipping from the Crypt Of Sidra, through the Angel-ranks he slipt Watching what Lip yet trembled with the Shot That so had hit the Mark--but found it not. Then, in a Glance to Earth, he threaded through Mosque, Palace, Cell and Cottage of the True Belief--in vain; so back to Heaven went And--Allah's Lips still trembling with assent! Then the tenacious Angel once again Threaded the Ranks of Heav'n and Earth--in vain-- Till, once again return'd to Paradise, There, looking into God's, the Angel's Eyes Beheld the Prayer that brought that Benison Rising like Incense from the Lips of one Who to an Idol bowed--as best he knew Under that False God worshipping the True.