The Sufistic Quatrains Of Omar Khayyam Part 28

But Right or Left as strikes the Player goes.

STANZA

LXXII. In ed. 2 and the first draft of ed. 3:

And that inverted Bowl we call The Sky.

In edd. 2 and 3:

As impotently rolls as you or I.

LXXIX. In ed. 2:

Pure Gold for what he lent us dross-allay'd.

Lx.x.xI. In ed. 2:

For all the Sin the Face of wretched Man Is black with--Man's Forgiveness give--and take!

Lx.x.xIII. In ed. 2:

And once again there gather'd a scarce heard Whisper among them; as it were, the stirr'd Ashes of some all but extinguisht Tongue Which mine ear kindled into living Word.

Lx.x.xIV. In ed. 2:

My Substance from the common Earth was ta'en, That He who subtly wrought me into Shape Should stamp me back to shapeless Earth again?

Lx.x.xV. In ed. 2

Another said--Why, ne'er a peevish Boy Would break the Cup from which he drank in Joy; Shall He that of His own free Fancy made The Vessel, in an after-rage destroy!

Lx.x.xVI. In ed. 2:

None answer'd this, but after silence spake.

Lx.x.xVII. In ed. 2:

Thus with the Dead as with the Living, _What?_ And _Why?_ so ready, but the _Wherefor_ not, One on a sudden peevishly exclaim'd, Which is the Potter, pray, and which the Pot?

STANZA

Lx.x.xVIII. In ed. 2:

Said one--Folks of a surly Master tell, And daub his Visage with the Smoke of h.e.l.l; They talk of some sharp Trial of us--Pish!

He's a Good Fellow, and 'twill all be well.

In the first draft of ed. 3. the stanza begins:

Why, said another, Dismal people tell Of an old Savage who will toss to h.e.l.l The luckless Pots, etc.

Lx.x.xIX. In ed. 2:

Well, said another, Whoso will, let try.

XC. In ed. 2:

One spied the little Crescent all were seeking.

XCI. In ed. 2:

And wash my Body whence the Life has died.

XCIII. In ed. 2:

Have done my credit in Men's eye much wrong.

XCV. In ed. 2:

One half so precious as the ware they sell.

XCVII. In ed. 2:

Toward which the fainting Traveller might spring.

XCVIII. In ed. 2:

Oh if the World were but to re-create, That we might catch ere closed the Book of Fate, And make The Writer on a fairer leaf Inscribe our names, or quite obliterate!

XCIX. In ed. 2:

Ah Love! could you and I with Fate conspire.

C. In ed. 2:

But see! The rising Moon of Heav'n again Looks for us, Sweet-heart, through the quivering Plane: How oft hereafter rising will she look Among those leaves--for one of us in vain!

STANZA

CI. In ed. 2:

And when Yourself with silver Foot shall pa.s.s.

In the first draft of ed. 3 Foot is changed to step.

In ed. 3:

And in your blissful errand reach the spot.