The Karamanian Exile

I see thee ever in my dreams,
Karaman!
Thy hundred hills, thy thousand streams,
Karaman, O Karaman!
As when thy gold-bright morning gleams,
As when the deepening sunset seams
With lines of light thy hills and streams,
Karaman!

So thou loomest on my dreams,
Karaman!
On all my dreams, my homesick dreams,
Karaman, O Karaman!
The hot bright plains, the sun, the skies,
Karaman!
Seem death-black marble to mine eyes,
Karaman, O Karaman!

I turn from summer's blooms and dyes;
Yet in my dreams thou dost arise
In welcome glory to mine eyes,
Karaman!
In thee my life of life yet lies,
Karaman!
Thou still art holy in mine eyes,
Karaman, O Karaman!

Ere my fighting years were come,
Karaman!
Troops were few in Erzerome,
Karaman, O Karaman!
Their fiercest came from Erzerome,
They came from Ukhbar's palace dome,
They dragg'd me forth from thee, my home,
Karaman!

Thee, my own, my mountain home,
Karaman!
In life and death, my spirit's home,
Karaman, O Karaman!
O none of all my sisters ten,
Karaman!
Loved like me my fellow-men,
Karaman, O Karaman!

I was mild as milk till then,
I was soft as silk till then;
Now my breast is as a den,
Karaman!
Foul with blood and bones of men,
Karaman!
With blood and bones of slaughter'd men,
Karaman, O Karaman!

My boyhood's feelings newly born,
Karaman!
Wither'd like young flowers uptorn,
Karaman, O Karaman!
And in their stead sprang weed and thorn;
What once I loved now moves my scorn;
My burning eyes are dried to horn,
Karaman!

I hate the blessed light of morn,
Karaman!
It maddens me, the face of morn,
Karaman, O Karaman!
The Spahi wears a tyrant's chains,
Karaman!
But bondage worse than this remains,
Karaman, O Karaman!

His heart is black with million stains:
Thereon, as on Kaf's blasted plains,
Shall nevermore fall dews and rains,
Karaman!
Save poison-dews and bloody rains,
Karaman!
Hell's poison-dews and bloody rains,
Karaman, O Karaman!

But life at worst must end ere long,
Karaman!
Azrael avengeth every wrong,
Karaman, O Karaman!
Of late my thoughts rove more among
Thy fields; o'ershadowing fancies throng
My mind, and texts of bodeful song,
Karaman!

Azrael is terrible and strong,
Karaman!
His lightning sword smites all ere long,
Karaman, O Karaman!
There 's care to-night in Ukhbar's halls,
Karaman!
There 's hope, too, for his trodden thralls,
Karaman, O Karaman!

What lights flash red along yon walls?
Hark! hark! the muster-trumpet calls!
I see the sheen of spears and shawls,
Karaman!
The foe! the foe! — they scale the walls,
Karaman!
To-night Murad or Ukhbar falls,
Karaman, O Karaman!