The Shepherd

Blest is the lover allowed by Fate
About his beloved to serve and wait.
All thought of himself to the wind is thrown,
And his care and time are for her alone.
Would she have his life ? At her feet it lies :
He kisses the ground that she treads, and dies.
Would she take his heart ? Straight that heart is filled
With love’s warm blood from his eyes distilled.
His head is a foot when she bids him rise,
And he deems her service a lordly prize.
Oft has a shepherd been known to claim,
As the guard of religion, a prophet’s name ;
And stronger and stronger in Yusufs heart
Grew his rooted love for the shepherd’s part.
Soon as the wish of the boy she knew,
The rein, as he guided, Zulaikha drew.
She ordered those skilled in the art to bring
For the use of her darling a dainty sling,
With gold like the sunlight, woven with care,
And bright as the threads of his fragrant hair.
All, how she longed in her heart that she
Herself one thread of the sling might be !
“ Mine arm round his body I may not twine,
But a touch of his hand would be surely mine.
But ah, can I wish with one single hair
To add to the weight which that hand must bear ? ”
Barest gems in the sling she set,
And pearls such as made her own eyes so wet :
And the precious rubies a king would prize
Were as worthless stones in the lady’s eyes.
Then she bade the shepherds who fed their sheep
On the grassy plain and the mountain-steep
Choose from their flocks, like the Bam that feeds
In the heavens, the best of the finest breeds —
Lambs fed on spikenard, like roes of Cathay,
Whom the wolf had ne’er looked on to make his prey.
And Yusuf departed to shepherd these,
Like the spring sun entering Aries.
Like a young musk-deer alone, astray,
To the lambs in the valley he bent his way.
Zulaikha sent with her shepherd boy,
Like his faithful dog, her soul, patience and joy,
And careful guardians about him, all
Charged to watch o’er him lest harm befall.
Thus, while he pleased, passed his days, and still
He knew no guide but his own free will.
He might feed his dock, if he chose, on the plain ;
If he would, in the realm of a heart might reign.
Yet still in his inmost nature he stood
Aloof both from kingship and skepkerdhood.