The Sick King In Bokhara Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Matthew Arnold

The Sick King In Bokhara Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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HUSSEIN	A
	-
O most just Vizier send away	B
The cloth merchants and let them be	C
Them and their dues this day the King	D
Is ill at ease and calls for thee	C
	-
THE VIZIER	E
	-
O merchants tarry yet a day	B
Here in Bokhara but at noon	F
To morrow come and ye shall pay	B
Each fortieth web of cloth to me	C
As the law is and go your way	B
	-
O Hussein lead me to the King	D
Thou teller of sweet tales thine own	G
Ferdousi's and the others' lead	H
How is it with my lord	I
	-
HUSSEIN	A
	-
Alone	G
Ever since prayer time he doth wait	J
O Vizier without lying down	K
In the great window of the gate	J
Looking into the Regist n	L
Where through the sellers' booths the slaves	M
Are this way bringing the dead man	N
O Vizier here is the King's door	E
	-
THE KING	D
	-
O Vizier I may bury him	O
	-
THE VIZIER	E
	-
O King thou know'st I have been sick	P
These many days and heard no thing	D
For Allah shut my ears and mind	Q
Not even what thou dost O King	D
Wherefore that I may counsel thee	C
Let Hussein if thou wilt make haste	R
To speak in order what hath chane'd	R
	-
THE KING	D
	-
O Vizier be it as thou say'st	R
	-
HUSSEIN	A
	-
Three days since at the time of prayer	E
A certain Moollah with his robe	S
All rent and dust upon his hair	E
Watch'd my lord's coming forth and push'd	R
The golden mace bearers aside	R
And fell at the King's feet and cried	R
	-
'Justice O King and on myself	T
On this great sinner who hath broke	U
The law and by the law must die	R
Vengeance O King '	-
	-
But the King spoke	U
	-
'What fool is this that hurts our ears	V
With folly or what drunken slave	W
My guards what prick him with your spears	V
Prick me the fellow from the path '	-
As the King said so was it done	X
And to the mosque my lord pass'd on	Y
	-
But on the morrow when the King	D
Went forth again the holy book	Z
Carried before him as is right	R
And through the square his path he took	Z
	-
My man comes running fleck'd with blood	R
From yesterday and falling down	K
Cries out most earnestly 'O King	D
My lord O King do right I pray	E
	-
'How canst thou ere thou hear discern	A2
It I speak folly but a king	D
Whether a thing be great or small	B2
Like Allah hears and judges all	B2
	-
'Wherefore hear thou Thou know'st how fierce	C2
In these last days the sun hath burn'd	R
That the green water in the tanks	D2
Is to a putrid puddle turnd	R
And the canal that from the stream	E2
Of Samarcand is brought this way	E
Wastes and runs thinner every day	E
	-
'Now I at nightfall had gone forth	F2
Alone and in a darksome place	G2
Under some mulberry trees I found	R
A little pool and in brief space	G2
With all the water that was there	E
I fill'd my pitcher and stole home	H2
Unseen and having drink to spare	E
I hid the can behind the door	E
And went up on the roof to sleep	I2
	-
'But in the night which was with wind	R
And burning dust again I creep	I2
Down having fever for a drink	J2
	-
'Now meanwhile had my brethren found	R
The water pitcher where it stood	R
Behind the door upon the ground	R
And call'd my mother and they all	B2
	-
As they were thirsty and the night	R
Most sultry drain'd the pitcher there	E
That they sate with it in my sight	R
Their lips still wet when I came down	K
	-
'Now mark I being fever'd sick	P
Most unblest also at that sight	R
Brake forth and curs'd them dost thou hear	E
One was my mother Now do right '	-
	-
But my lord mus'd a space and said	R
'Send him away Sirs and make on	Y
It is some madman ' the King said	R
As the King said so was it done	X
	-
The morrow at the self same hour	E
In the Kings path behold the man	N
Not kneeling sternly fix'd he stood	R
Right opposite and thus began	N
	-
Frowning grim down 'Thou wicked King	D
Most deaf where thou shouldst most give ear	E
What must I howl in the next world	R
Because thou wilt not listen here	E
	-
'What wilt thou pray and get thee grace	G2
And all grace shall to me be grudg'd	R
Nay but I swear from this thy path	K2
I will not stir till I be judg'd '	-
	-
Then they who stood about the King	D
Drew close together and conferr'd	R
Till that the King stood forth and said	R
'Before the priests thou shalt be heard '	-
	-
But when the Ulemas were met	R
And the thing heard they doubted not	R
But sentenc'd him as the law is	L2
To die by stoning on the spot	R
	-
Now the King charg'd us secretly	C
'Ston'd must he be the law stands so	M2
Yet if he seek to fly give way	E
Forbid him not but let him go '	-
	-
So saying the King took a stone	G
And cast it softly but the man	N
With a great joy upon his face	G2
Kneel'd down and cried not neither ran	N
	-
So they whose lot it was cast stones	N2
That they flew thick and bruis'd him sore	E
But he prais'd Allah with loud voice	O2
And remain'd kneeling as before	E
	-
My lord had cover'd up his face	G2
But when one told him 'He is dead '	-
Turning him quickly to go in	P2
'Bring thou to me his corpse ' he said	R
	-
And truly while I speak O King	D
I hear the bearers on the stair	E
Wilt thou they straightway bring him in	P2
Ho enter ye who tarry there	E
	-
THE VIZIER	E
	-
O King in this I praise thee not	R
Now must I call thy grief not wise	Q2
Is he thy friend or of thy blood	R
To find such favour in thine eyes	Q2
	-
Nay were he thine own mother's son	X
Still thou art king and the Law stands	R2
It were not meet the balance swerv'd	R
The sword were broken in thy hands	R2
	-
But being nothing as he is	L2
Why for no cause make sad thy face	G2
Lo I am old three kings ere thee	C
Have I seen reigning in this place	G2
	-
But who through all this length of time	S2
Could bear the burden of his years	V
If he for strangers pain'd his heart	R
Not less than those who merit tears	T2
	-
Fathers we must have wife and child	R
And grievous is the grief for these	U2
This pain alone which must be borne	V2
Makes the head white and bows the knees	U2
	-
But other loads than this his own	G
One man is not well made to bear	E
Besides to each are his own friends	W2
To mourn with him and show him care	E
	-
Look this is but one single place	G2
Though it be great all the earth round	R
If a man bear to have it so	M2
Things which might vex him shall be found	R
	-
Upon the Russian frontier where	E
The watchers of two armies stand	R
Near one another many a man	N
Seeking a prey unto his hand	R
	-
Hath snatch'd a little fair hair'd slave	W
They snatch also towards Merv	X2
The Shiah dogs who pasture sheep	I2
And up from thence to Orgunj	Y2
	-
And these all labouring for a lord	R
Eat not the fruit of their own hands	R2
Which is the heaviest of all plagues	Z2
To that man's mind who understands	R2
	-
The kaffirs also whom God curse	A3
Vex one another night and day	E
There are the lepers and all sick	P
There are the poor who faint alway	E
	-
All these have sorrow and keep still	B3
Whilst other men make cheer and sing	D
Wilt thou have pity on all these	U2
No nor on this dead dog O King	D
	-
THE KING	D
	-
O Vizier thou art old I young	C3
Clear in these things I cannot see	C
My head is burning and a heat	R
Is in my skin which angers me	C
	-
But hear ye this ye sons of men	L
They that bear rule and are obey'd	R
Unto a rule more strong than theirs	T2
Are in their turn obedient made	R
	-
In vain therefore with wistful eyes	Q2
Gazing up hither the poor man	N
Who loiters by the high heap'd booths	D3
Below there in the Regist n	L
	-
Says 'Happy he who lodges there	E
With silken raiment store of rice	E3
And for this drought all kinds of fruits	F3
Grape syrup squares of colour'd ice	E3
	-
'With cherries serv'd in drifts of snow '	-
In vain hath a king power to build	R
Houses arcades enamell'd mosques	G3
And to make orchard closes fill'd	R
	-
With curious fruit trees bought from far	E
With cisterns for the winter rain	A
And in the desert spacious inns	H3
In divers places if that pain	A
	-
Is not more lighten'd which he feels	I3
If his will be not satisfied	R
And that it be not from all time	S2
The Law is planted to abide	R
	-
Thou wert a sinner thou poor man	N
Thou wert athirst and didst not see	C
That though we snatch what we desire	E
We must not snatch it eagerly	C
	-
And I have meat and drink at will	B3
And rooms of treasures not a few	J3
But I am sick nor heed I these	U2
And what I would I cannot do	J3
	-
Even the great honour which I have	K3
When I am dead will soon grow still	B3
So have I neither joy nor fame	L3
But what I can do that I will	B3
	-
I have a fretted brick work tomb	M3
Upon a hill on the right hand	R
Hard by a close of apricots	N3
Upon the road of Samarcand	R
	-
Thither O Vizier will I bear	E
This man my pity could not save	W
And plucking up the marble flags	O3
There lay his body in my grave	W
	-
Bring water nard and linen rolls	P3
Wash off all blood set smooth each limb	O
Then say 'He was not wholly vile	Q3
Because a king shall bury him '	-