Explore "Ismael" by Madison Cawein on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
/ Ismael, the Sultan, in the Ramazan, / Girdled with guards and many a yataghan, / Pachas and amins, viziers wisdom-gray, / And holy marabouts, betook his way / Through Mekinez. -- Written the angel's word, / Of Eden's Kauther, reads, "Slay! praying the Lord! / Pray! slaying the victims! " so the Sultan went, / The Cruel Sultan, with this good intent,
/ In white bournouse and sea-green caftan clad / First to the mosque. Long each muezzin had / Summoned the faithful unto prayer and let / The "Allah Akbar! " from each minaret, / Call to their thousand lamps of blazing gold. / Prostrated prayed the Sultan. On the old / Mosaics of the mosque -- whose hollow steamed / With aloes-incense -- lean ecstatics dreamed / On Allah and his Prophet, and how great / Is God, and how unstable man's estate. / Conviction on him, in this chanting low / Of Koran texts, the Caliph's passion so / Exalted rose, -- lamps of religious awe, / Loud smitings of the everlasting law / On unbelievers, -- trebly manifest / The Faith's anointed sword he feels confessed.