Poems (Scudder)/Mystery
MYSTERY
Thus runs the legend. Once a king
Had led a desert chase in hope
Of prey—gazelle or antelope,
Leopard or lion, doth not sing
The perished bard who tells the thing—
But that at noon the hunt was stayed
Where in the ragged palm-trees' shade
Babbled and purled a cooling spring.
Had led a desert chase in hope
Of prey—gazelle or antelope,
Leopard or lion, doth not sing
The perished bard who tells the thing—
But that at noon the hunt was stayed
Where in the ragged palm-trees' shade
Babbled and purled a cooling spring.
A bowshot off but full in view
The ruins of a city showed
Above the drifted sand and glowed
In that fierce sun with every hue
Of violet and vermeil and blue,
Of carbuncle and cornelian
And eastern lapis. And they knew
A tale which made it the abode
The ruins of a city showed
Above the drifted sand and glowed
In that fierce sun with every hue
Of violet and vermeil and blue,
Of carbuncle and cornelian
And eastern lapis. And they knew
A tale which made it the abode
Of monstrous beings whose sight would blast
One who beheld them. But the king
So dearly loved adventuring
That with his following he passed
The gates. Though obscene rubbish massed
Its streets, he never recked the fall
Of sagging roof or crumbling wall,
And so unhurt, he gained at last
One who beheld them. But the king
So dearly loved adventuring
That with his following he passed
The gates. Though obscene rubbish massed
Its streets, he never recked the fall
Of sagging roof or crumbling wall,
And so unhurt, he gained at last
The palace in its center set.
Now, all around like molten glass
The flat sand glared save where parched grass
Or bristling cactus showed, and yet
'Twas plain in years the stars forget
This palace stood beside the sea;
Its walls were painted wondrously
With shapes that underwave are met.
Now, all around like molten glass
The flat sand glared save where parched grass
Or bristling cactus showed, and yet
'Twas plain in years the stars forget
This palace stood beside the sea;
Its walls were painted wondrously
With shapes that underwave are met.
Here lay a toppled column slim
Of sea-green onyx and around
Its shallow capital they found
Lithe, springing dolphins carved. A dim
Fresco showed wild white swans aswim,
While over them an arching flight
Of long-winged fish gleamed ghostly bright
As splintered jewels along the rim
Of sea-green onyx and around
Its shallow capital they found
Lithe, springing dolphins carved. A dim
Fresco showed wild white swans aswim,
While over them an arching flight
Of long-winged fish gleamed ghostly bright
As splintered jewels along the rim
Of the low cornice. Still, the king
Pressed ever onward till he came
To a small chamber where a name
That none could read was glittering
Above the portal. Backward swing
The heavy doors, and then they see
Stretched on a couch of ivory
In the room's midst a lovely thing—
Pressed ever onward till he came
To a small chamber where a name
That none could read was glittering
Above the portal. Backward swing
The heavy doors, and then they see
Stretched on a couch of ivory
In the room's midst a lovely thing—
A woman young and strangely fair;
A robe of rosy tissue fine
As water thinly mixed with wine
Scarce veiled her perfect body bare
Beneath their eyes. Her golden hair
Unto her feet went rippling down
Below a richly jewelled crown.
Her breast moved not, but rested there
A robe of rosy tissue fine
As water thinly mixed with wine
Scarce veiled her perfect body bare
Beneath their eyes. Her golden hair
Unto her feet went rippling down
Below a richly jewelled crown.
Her breast moved not, but rested there
A flower wrought of gems and this
Was shapen like to those that be
In hollow caves beneath the sea,
Of beauty weird and all amiss—
And when the king had lifted this
Her long stilled blood began to flow,
The breath fought in her throat, and lo,
Her red lips opened to his kiss.
Was shapen like to those that be
In hollow caves beneath the sea,
Of beauty weird and all amiss—
And when the king had lifted this
Her long stilled blood began to flow,
The breath fought in her throat, and lo,
Her red lips opened to his kiss.
So then, in triumph did he take
Her to his home. But when she strove
To answer his soft words of love
Sweet proffer of herself to make,
In voice hoarse from disuse she spake
Words of a language strange, uncouth
Such as was heard in the world's youth.
Then did the wise men for her sake
Her to his home. But when she strove
To answer his soft words of love
Sweet proffer of herself to make,
In voice hoarse from disuse she spake
Words of a language strange, uncouth
Such as was heard in the world's youth.
Then did the wise men for her sake
Plead with the king to have her taught
The common speech that she might tell
Of that old world where she did dwell
Long centuries agone. What thought
Her vanished race; what wars they fought;
What gods they worshipped; what their lore
Of earth and heaven, and much more
Of learning that these scholars sought.
The common speech that she might tell
Of that old world where she did dwell
Long centuries agone. What thought
Her vanished race; what wars they fought;
What gods they worshipped; what their lore
Of earth and heaven, and much more
Of learning that these scholars sought.
But still the king denied. "Who knows
Loses the bliss of Dream," quoth he,
"Nor would I cleave the mystery
Fragile and flawless that doth close
My precious one, and strangely shows
Her beauty red and white and gold
As thinnest sheath of ice might hold
The untouched beauty of a rose."
Loses the bliss of Dream," quoth he,
"Nor would I cleave the mystery
Fragile and flawless that doth close
My precious one, and strangely shows
Her beauty red and white and gold
As thinnest sheath of ice might hold
The untouched beauty of a rose."