A Year of Verse, Part II [pp. 88-97]

1889..]
A Year of Verse.
called "Under the Pine Tree" and of Sa'di's "Book of Love," "Embodied
"Under the Palm Tree." The pine tree in a Dialogue held in the Garden of the
part is devoted to Indian legends, de- Taj Mahal, at Agra," as the title-page
scriptive poems, and other lyrics of has it; he calls the book Witi Sa'di in
Maine. The legends are well told, clear the Gardein.8 The dialogue is introduced
and unpretentious and smooth, and the by a long and lavish description of the
lyrics are also attractive in a simple and Taj Mahal; then the Saheb, spending
sincere feeling for nature and human his last day at Agra, arranges with the
relations. The palm tree part is not Muslim Mirza Hassein to spend the
given up to locally descriptive verse, but night in the Taj by moonlight and read
probably includes all the poems written Sa'di's Book of Love, with lamps, fruit,
since the author came to California, as and singing girls. Here the English most of the subjects are general. Of man and the two girls alternately listen
those that are dedicate to California sub- to the Mirza as he translates Sa'di and
jects, one is carried back into the pre- converse with him about the text, the
vious division as a sort of farewell; and girls joining in the talk with a feeling
this is as fairly illustrative as any other and intelligence foreign to our ideas of
that is short enough to quote. niautchnees, but drawn from the life, the
author assures us. The translations
.The Woods of Maine. from the Persian are distinguished by
To all the wide, wild woods of Maine italics from the original verse. The
The singing birds have come again; text of Sa'di all turns on praises of the
In thicket dense and skyward bough selflessness and patience of true love,
Their nests of love are builded now; its highest
And daybreak hears one blithesome strain finding development n love
From all the wide, wild woods of Maine. of God.
In all the deep, green woods of Maine * A lover, with his loved one, sailed the sea,
The myriad wild flowers wake again; Voyaging home in tender company;
On mossy knoll, by whispering rill, There blew a wind of Death upon the waters
Their new life opens shy and still; There broke a billow of calamity!
Unseen, unknown, as spring (lays.wane,
U n seen, unknown, as spring days -wane, It swept them from the deck to dreadful breast
Of the black ocean. To that pair distressed
The fair and fragrant woods of Maine! The mariners flung forth a plank of rescue;
To dwellers far on shore and plain It reached them drowning on the tossing crest.
The forest's breath of healing flows Too slender'twas to help-if both should hold
T. * q q 1 1 ~~~~~Too slender'twas to help-if both should hold;
In every wandering wind that blows;
In every wandering wind that blows They saw him round the plank her weak arms fold,
And life throbs fresh in every vein, " Gir Dast-i-yar-i-man" he uttered softly;
XXT1 1 s 1 1 11 a a r of * "{it t Dast-i-yar. i.man!" he uttered softly;
Whnen bloom the boundless woods of Mainl~e.''
"When bloom the boundless woods of Maine. Clasp! hands dearer than life to me!" The cold
Now far from those sweet woods of Maine
Now far from those sweet woods of Maine Bitter salt swallowed him. But those who brought
The song comes back, a sad refrain!
The song comes back, a sad refrain! His beauteous Maid, saved lby that sweet deed
These pines and palms that speak no word
Of scenes that once my heart have stirred wrought,
Spake, saying, " Never lived there truer lover!
This cypress shade, these ivy bowers,
Thisg uneasin marc.he of fowers,''Majnun by such a marvel had been taught!"
And long, unceasing march of flowers,
Are like an echo, faint and drear, And elsewhere again:
Of music I have ceased to hear.
Oh, while your choiring boughs you dress A new-wed bride, in tender discontent,
In spring or autumn loveliness, To one gray-haired, made of her lord lament,
The green and gold you wear in vain Saying, "Thy son no praise from thee doth merit,
For one who loved you, woods of Maine! So cold he is, so ill my hours are spent.
Edwin Arnold,*vryingalttlefr 3 Vith Sa'di in the Garden. By Sir Edwin Arnold.
Boston: Roberts Brothers. I888. For sale in San
his Indian subjects, gives us a rendering Francisco by Samuel Carson & Co.