IV

THE KASÎDAH IV — • — “Who now of ancient Kayomurs, of Zâl or Rustam cares to sing, “Whelmed by the tempest of the tribes that called the Camel-driver King? “Where are the crown of Kay Khusraw, the sceptre of Anûshirwân, “The holy grail of high Jamshîd, Afrâsiyab’s hall?—Canst tell me, man? “Gone, gone, where … Read more

THE KASÎDAH IV — • — “Yea, Pan was dead, the Nazar’ene came and seized his seat beneath the sun, “The votary of the Riddle-god, whose one is three and three is one; “Whose sadd’ening creed of herited Sin spilt o’er the world its cold grey spell; “In every vista showed a grave, and ’neath … Read more

THE KASÎDAH IV — • — “Amid the high Chaldean hills a moulder of the heavenly spheres; “On Guebre steppes the Timeless-God who governs by his dual peers: “In Hebrew tents the Lord that led His leprous slaves to fight and jar; “Yahveh,* Adon or Elohîm, the God that smites, the Man of War. “The … Read more

THE KASÎDAH IV — • — “You pray, but hath your thought e’er weighed how empty vain the prayer must be, “That begs a boon already giv’en, or craves a change of law to see? “Say, Man, deep learnèd in the Scheme that orders mysteries sublime, “How came it this was Jesus, that was Judas … Read more

THE KASÎDAH IV — • — “Who made your Maker? If Self-made, why fare so far to fare the worse “Sufficeth not a world of worlds, a self-made chain of universe? “Grant an Idea, Primal Cause, the Causing Cause, why crave for more? “Why strive its depth and breadth to mete, to trace its work, … Read more

THE KASÎDAH IV — • — “All matter hath a birth and death; ’tis made, unmade and made anew; “We choose to call the Maker ‘God’:— such is the Zâhid’s owly view. “You changeful finite Creatures strain” (rejoins the Drawer of the Wine)* “The dizzy depths of Inf’inite Power to fathom with your foot of … Read more

THE KASÎDAH IV — • — WHAT Truths hath gleaned that Sage consumed by many a moon that waxt and waned? What Prophet-strain be his to sing? What hath his old Experience gained? There is no God, no man-made God; a bigger, stronger, crueller man; Black phantom of our baby-fears, ere Thought, the life of … Read more