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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
UNDER WHICH KING (VERSES READ AT OMAR KHAYYAM CLUB, 1903), by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Under which king?' you ask, my friend Last Line: The opiate of the interval! Alternate Author Name(s): Dobson, Austin Subject(s): Omar Khayyam (1048-1122) | |||
'Under which king, Bezonian? Speak, or die.' -- 2 HENRY IV. Act v., Scene 3. 'Under which king?' you ask, my friend. 'The Hermit of the Suffolk shore? -- The Tent-maker of Naishapur? -- OMAR, FITZGERALD -- which?' Perpend. The great CORNEILLE, when pressed of yore, To judge two sonnets, answered thus: -- 'One, in its way, is marvellous; And yet -- I like the other more.' This is my case betwixt your twain. But if you further question why I sit in this brave company, I will -- with your good leave -- explain. Life is a toilsome thing at best: We all too-heavy burdens bear, And groaning 'neath our load of care, Run to and fro in search of rest. We find it where this board is set: Kind looks across the napery gleam; The Past, the Future, grow a dream; And -- for the moment -- we forget. OMAR, FITZGERALD -- these are all But phantasies. We snuff the air; The green spot in the desert bare; The Opiate of the Interval! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...IN A COPY OF OMAR KHAYYAM by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL QUATRAIN: OMAR KHAYYAM (AFTER FITZGERALD) by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH ON READING THE 'RUBAIYAT' OF OMAR KHAYYAM IN A KENTISH ROSE GARDEN by MATHILDE BLIND OMAR KHAYYAM by CHRISTOPHER PEARSE CRANCH VERSES READ AT THE DINNER OF THE OMAR KHAYYAM CLUB by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON VERSES WRITTEN FOR THE MENU OF THE OMAR KHAYYAM CLUB (1) by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON VERSES WRITTEN FOR THE MENU OF THE OMAR KHAYYAM CLUB (2) by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON SONNET WRITTEN ON A FLY-LEAF OF 'THE RUBAIYAT' by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE ON READING OMAR KHAYYAM by NICHOLAS VACHEL LINDSAY A FANCY FROM FONTENELLE by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON |
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