The Scented Garden

104 Ecstasy stronger than Death. The ‘ Maybe ’ and the ‘ Letushope ’, the ‘ Allahknows ’ and ‘ Ibelieve ’ ; The ‘ Sweetitwas ’ and ‘ Werecall ’, the ‘ Pitytis ’ and ‘ Mighthavebeen ’4 These founder in the rushing tide, these bear a cargo black with fear, Heavy with hate and dull with woe, a miserable load of teen : While we the ‘ Jolly Roger ’5 sail whose freight is fairy6 pearls of dew ; The podex and the member locked, without a bar, without a screen. Remembrance and regret we quash ; we banish traitor hope and fear ; The present ecstasy is all, the Middle Path, the Golden Mean. An He endure, then love endures : — so El Qahar will ever sing, Till he the world from milk of prayer to wine of me- ditation wean.7 Like peacocks in a garden spread our thousand eyes of jewel-sheen ; Though squawking with an eunuch’s voice, our paederastic plumes we preen.8 For voice is sound, and dies with air ; light is co- excellent with God9 ; As Hate’s a poison for delight, so love’s a physic for the spleen. And El Qahar is Truth, and nought but Allah stuffs his gaberdine,10 And Allah windeth he about with tarband gemmed11 of gold and green.12