Page:The Bengali Book of English Verse.djvu/47

And that grim brow where bigot zeal
Oft set its sternest, fiercest seal,
Smiles gayly like a lightless stream,
When Chandra sheds her silver beam,
As sweetly sounds the gay Sittar,
Like voice of Home when heard afar,
Or wild and thrilling rolls along,
Ferdousi's high, heroic song;
For ceaseless orison and fast,
Have won Heaven's favouring smile at last,
And when to-morrow's sun shall rise,
On car of light from orient skies,
The first, faint blushing of his ray,
Will lead proud Conquest to her prey,
And see the Crescent's blood-red wave,
Gild fall'n Husteena's lowly grave!

A thousand lamps all gayly shine,
Along the wide extended line;
And loud the laugh and proud the boast,
Swells from that fierce, unnumber'd host,
And wild the prayer ascends on high,
Dark Vengeance! thine impatient cry—
⁠Oh! for a glimpse of Day's fair brow,
To crush yon city tow'ring now,
To make each cafir-bosom feel,
Th' unerring blade of Moslem steel!
By Alla! how I long to be,
Where myriads writhe in agony,
And mark each wretch with rolling eye
Call on false gods,—then curse and die,
Meet pilgrim for the dire domain,
Where Eblis holds his sun-less reign!
To-morrow—oh!—why wilt thou, Night,
Thus veil the smile of Day so bright?