Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám illustrated by Willy Pogàny

 Frontispiece

And lately, by the tavern door Agape

Awake, my Little Ones, and fill the Cup

Befotr Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry.

Look to the Rose that blows about us—" Lo,
Laughing," she says, " into the World I blow:
At once the silken Tassel of my Purse
Tear, and its Treasure on the Garden throw."

One Moment in Annihilation's Waste,
One Moment, of the Well of Life to taste—
The Stars are setting and the Caravan
Starts for the Dawn of Nothing—Oh, make haste!

But leave the Wise to wrangle, and with me
The Quarrel of the Universe let be :
And, in some corner of the Hubbub coucht,
Make Game of that which makes as much of Thee.

That ev'n my buried Ashes such a Snare
Of Perfume shall fling up into the Air,
As not a True Believer passing by
But shall be overtaken unaware.

And David's lips are lockt ; but in divine
High-piping Pehlevi, with " Wine ! Wine ! Wine !
Red Wine !" —the Nightingale cries to the Rose
That sallow cheek of hers t' incarnadine.

A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness—
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

Into this Universe, and Why not knowing
Nor Whence like Water willy-nilly flowing;
And out of it, as Wind along the Waste,
I know not Whither willy-nilly blowing.

'Tis but a Tent where takes his one day's rest
A Sultan to the realm of Death addrest;
The Sultan rises, and the dark Ferrash
Strikes, and prepares it for another Guest.

You know, my Friends, with what a brave Carouse
I made a Second Marriage in my house;
Divorced old barren Reason from my Bed,
And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse.

Indeed, indeed. Repentance oft before
I swore—but was I sober when I swore ?
And then and then came Spring, and Rose-inhand
My thread-bare Penitence apieces tore.