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ALMANSOR, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: In fair cordova's cathedral
Last Line: And the christian gods wail loudly.
Subject(s): Churches; Kisses; Lips; Religion; Cathedrals; Theology


I.

IN fair Cordova's cathedral,
Stand the columns, thirteen hundred, --
Thirteen hundred giant-columns
Bear the mighty dome in safety.

And on dome and walls and columns
From the very top to bottom
The Koran's Arabian proverbs
Twine in wise and flowery fashion.

Moorish Kings erected whilome
This vast house to Allah's glory,
Yet in many parts 'tis alter'd
In the darksome whirl of ages.

On the turret where the watchman
Summon'd unto prayer the people,
Now the Christian bell is sounding
With its melancholy murmur.

On the steps whereon the faithful
Used to sing the Prophet's sayings,
Now baldpated priests exhibit
All the mass's trivial wonders.

How they twirl before the colour'd
Puppets, full of antic capers,
Midst the incense smoke and ringing,
While the senseless tapers sparkle!

In fair Cordova's cathedral
Stands Almansor ben Abdullah,
Viewing silently the columns,
And these words in silence murmuring:

"O ye columns, strong, gigantic,
"Once adorn'd in Allah's glory,
"Now must ye pay humble homage
"To this Christendom detested.

"To the times have ye submitted,
"And ye bear the burden calmly;
"Still more reason for the weaker
"To be patient all the sooner."

And Almansor ben Abdullah
Bent his head with face unruffled
O'er the font so decorated
In fair Cordova's cathedral.

2.

THE cathedral left he quickly,
On his wild steed speeding onward,
While his moist locks and the feathers
In his hat the wind is moving.

On the road to Alcolea,
By the side of Guadalquivir,
Where the snowy almond blossoms,
And the fragrant golden orange,

Thither hastes the merry rider,
Piping, singing laughing gaily,
And the birds all swell the chorus,
And the torrent's noisy waters.

In the fort at Alcolea
Dwelleth Clara de Alvares;
In Navarre her sire is fighting,
And she revels in her freedom.

And afar Almansor heareth
Sounds of kettle-drums and trumpets,
And the castle lights beholds he
Glittering through the trees' dark shadown.

In the fort at Alcolea
Dance twelve gaily trick'd-out ladies
With twelve knights attired as gaily,
But Almansor's the best dancer.

As if wing'd by merry fancies,
Round about the hall he flutters,
Knowing how to all the ladies
To address sweet flattering speeches.

Isabella's lovely hands he
Kisses quickly, and then leaves her,
And before Elvira stands he,
Looking in her face so archly.

He in turns assures each lady
That he heartily adores her;
"On the true faith of a Christian"
Swears he thirty times that evening.

3.

IN the fort at Alcolea
Merriment and noise have ceased now
Knights and ladies all have vanish'd,
And the lights are all extinguish'd.

Donna Clara and Almansor
In the hall above still linger,
And one single lamp is throwing
On them both its feeble lustre.

On the seat the lady's sitting,
And the knight upon the footstool,
And his head, by sleep o'erpower'd,
On her darling knees is resting.

From a golden flask some rose-oil
Pours the lady, sadly musing,
On Almansor's dark-brown tresses, --
From his inmost bosom sighs he.

With her soft lips then the lady
Gives a sweet kiss, sadly musing,
On Almansor's dark-brown tresses, --
And his brow is clouded over.

From her light eyes tears in torrents
Weeps the lady, sadly musing,
On Almansor's dark-brown tresses, --
And his lips begin to quiver.

And he dreams he's once more standing
With his head bent down and weeping
In fair Cordova's cathedral,
Many gloomy voices hearing.

All the lofty giant-columns
Hears he murmuring full of anger, --
That no longer will they bear it,
And they totter and they tremble.

And they wildly fall together,
Pale turn all the priests and people,
Crashing falls the dome upon them,
And the Christian gods wail loudly.





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