And he pined and sighed for love so sore, That he looked as he were lost; And he prayed her pardon more and more, As one who had sinned the most; Till, fading at length, away he wore, And he was himself a ghost. But if he found the lady then, The lady sadly lost, Or she had found 'mongst living men A love that was a host, I know not, till I drop my pen, And am myself a ghost. ABU MIDJAN. "It is only just To laud good wine: If I sit in the dust, So sits the vine." Abu Midjan sang, as he sat in chains, For the blood of the grape was the juice of his veins. The prophet had said, "O Faithful, drink not"-- Abu Midjan drank till his heart was hot; Yea, he sang a song in praise of wine, And called it good names, a joy divine. And Saad assailed him with words of blame, And left him in irons, a fettered flame; But he sang of the wine as he sat in chains, For the blood of the grape ran fast in his veins. "I will not think That the Prophet said, _Ye shall not drink Of the flowing red_. "But some weakling head, In its after pain, Moaning said, _Drink not again_. "But I will dare, With a goodly drought, To drink and not spare, Till my thirst be out. "For as I quaff The liquor cool, I do not laugh, Like a Christian fool; "But my bosom fills, And my faith is high; Through the emerald hills Goes my lightning eye. "I see _them_ hearken, I see them wait; Their light eyes darken The diamond gate. "I hear the float Of their chant divine; Each heavenly note Mingles with mine. "Can an evil thing Make beauty more? Or a sinner bring To the heavenly door? "'Tis the sun-rays fine That sink in the earth, And are drunk by the vine, For its daughters' birth. "And the liquid light, I drink again; And it flows in might Through the shining brain, "Making it know The things that are In the earth below, Or the farthest star. "I will not think That the Prophet said, _Ye shall not drink Of the flowing Red_. "For his promise, lo! Shows more divine, When the channels o'erflow With the singing wine. "But if he did, 'tis a small annoy To sit in chains for a heavenly joy."