Bird Parliament · 15 of 20

Further Objections

And then came others whom the summons found Not wholly sick indeed, but far from sound: Whose light inconstant Soul alternate flew From Saint to Sinner, and to both untrue; Who like a niggard Tailor, tried to match Truth's single Garment with a worldly Patch. A dangerous Game; for, striving to adjust The hesitating Scale of either Lust, That which had least within it upward flew, And still the weightier to the Earth down drew, And, while suspended between Rise and Fall, Apt with a shaking Hand to forfeit all.

There was a Queen of Egypt like the Bride Of Night, Full-moon-faced and Canopus-eyed, Whom one among the meanest of her Crowd Loved--and she knew it (for he loved aloud), And sent for him, and said 'Thou lov'st thy Queen: Now therefore Thou hast this to choose between: Fly for thy Life: or for this one night Wed Thy Queen, and with the Sunrise lose thy Head.' He paused--he turn'd to fly--she struck him dead. 'For had he truly loved his Queen,' said She, 'He would at once have giv'n his Life for me, And Life and Wife had carried: but he lied; And loving only Life, has justly died.'

And then came one who having clear'd his Throat With sanctimonious Sweetness in his Note Thus lisp'd--'Behold I languish from the first With passionate and unrequited Thirst Of Love for more than any mortal Bird. Therefore have I withdrawn me from the Herd To pine in Solitude. But Thou at last Hast drawn a line across the dreary Past, And sure I am by Foretaste that the Wine I long'd for, and Thou tell'st of, shall be mine.'

But he was sternly checkt. 'I tell thee this: Such Boast is no Assurance of such Bliss: Thou canst not even fill the sail of Prayer Unless from Him breathe that authentic Air That shall lift up the Curtain that divides His Lover from the Harim where He hides-- And the Fulfilment of thy Vows must be, Not from thy Love for Him, but His for Thee.'

The third night after Bajazyd had died, One saw him, in a dream, at his Bedside, And said, 'Thou Bajazyd? Tell me O Pyr, How fared it there with Munkar and Nakyr?' And Bajazyd replied, 'When from the Grave They met me rising, and "If Allah's slave" Ask'd me, "or collar'd with the Chain of Hell?" I said "Not I but God alone can tell: My Passion for his service were but fond Ambition had not He approved the Bond: Had He not round my neck the Collar thrown And told me in the Number of his own; And that He only knew. What signifies A hundred Years of Prayer if none replies?"'

'But,' said Another, 'then shall none the Seal Of Acceptation on his Forehead feel Ere the Grave yield them on the other Side Where all is settled?'

But the Chief replied-- 'Enough for us to know that who is meet Shall enter, and with unreproved Feet, (Ev'n as he might upon the Waters walk) The Presence-room, and in the Presence talk With such unbridled Licence as shall seem To the Uninitiated to blaspheme.'

Just as another Holy Spirit fled, The Skies above him burst into a Bed Of Angels looking down and singing clear 'Nightingale! Nightingale! thy Rose is here!' And yet, the Door wide open to that Bliss, As some hot Lover slights a scanty Kiss, The Saint cried 'All I sigh'd for come to this? I who lifelong have struggled, Lord, to be Not of thy Angels one, but one with Thee!'

Others were sure that all he said was true: They were extremely wicked, that they knew: And much they long'd to go at once--but some, They said, so unexpectedly had come Leaving their Nests half-built--in bad Repair-- With Children in--Themselves about to pair-- 'Might he not choose a better Season--nay, Better perhaps a Year or Two's Delay, Till all was settled, and themselves more stout And strong to carry their Repentance out-- And then'--

'And then, the same or like Excuse, With harden'd Heart and Resolution loose With dallying: and old Age itself engaged Still to shirk that which shirking we have aged: And so with Self-delusion, till, too late, Death upon all Repentance shuts the Gate; Or some fierce blow compels the Way to choose, And forced Repentance half its Virtue lose.'

As of an aged Indian King they tell Who, when his Empire with his Army fell Under young Mahmud's Sword of Wrath, was sent At sunset to the Conqueror in his Tent; But, ere the old King's silver head could reach The Ground, was lifted up--with kindly Speech, And with so holy Mercy reassured, That, after due Persuasion, he abjured His idols, sate upon Mahmud's Divan, And took the Name and Faith of Musulman. But when the Night fell, in his Tent alone The poor old King was heard to weep and groan And smite his Bosom; which, when Mahmud knew, He went to him and said 'Lo, if Thou rue Thy lost Dominion, Thou shalt wear the Ring Of thrice as large a Realm.' But the dark King Still wept, and Ashes on his Forehead threw And cried 'Not for my Kingdom lost I rue: But thinking how at the Last Day, will stand The Prophet with The Volume in his Hand, And ask of me "How was't that, in thy Day Of Glory, Thou didst turn from Me and slay My People; but soon as thy Infidel Before my True Believers' Army fell Like Corn before the Reaper--thou didst own His Sword who scoutedst Me." Of seed so sown What profitable Harvest should be grown?'