What Shall I Think?
WHAT SHALL I THINK?
When Mahmoud Khan, elated by the wine
Of conquest, entered Sumnat's plundered shrine,—
Where to the columns breaking the expanse
Of swamps, illimitable, foul and dreary,
His soldiers tied their chargers, battle-weary,
And now drew lots for captured shield and lance,—
Right against Shiva's giant image, towering
Sternly, in shining silver all arrayed,
With sixteen arms and one great eyeball glowering,
He raised his famed and dreaded blade,—
Evilest of sledges
That the evilest smith
(As the East alleges)
E'er smote anvil with.
Of conquest, entered Sumnat's plundered shrine,—
Where to the columns breaking the expanse
Of swamps, illimitable, foul and dreary,
His soldiers tied their chargers, battle-weary,
And now drew lots for captured shield and lance,—
Right against Shiva's giant image, towering
Sternly, in shining silver all arrayed,
With sixteen arms and one great eyeball glowering,
He raised his famed and dreaded blade,—
Evilest of sledges
That the evilest smith
(As the East alleges)
E'er smote anvil with.
Inside the court, where the dim sun, declining,
Shed spectral green on pool and colonnade,
And fettered hounds with blood-stained whips were flayed,
'Twas black with men save for their helmets' shining.
Here cups and fans and dancers' robes were scattered;
There amid laugh and shriek were women led,
By ropes that cut their bare knees till they bled,
Past elephants and captured idols, battered,
With heads knocked off in one of the caprices
Found in all minds of true barbarian mould,
Shed spectral green on pool and colonnade,
And fettered hounds with blood-stained whips were flayed,
'Twas black with men save for their helmets' shining.
Here cups and fans and dancers' robes were scattered;
There amid laugh and shriek were women led,
By ropes that cut their bare knees till they bled,
Past elephants and captured idols, battered,
With heads knocked off in one of the caprices
Found in all minds of true barbarian mould,
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