Monday, June 14, 2010

Edward FitzGerald: March 31, 1809--June 14, 1883

On this day, I thought it only appropriate to post the last two quatrains from the First Edition of his interpretation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.


Quatrain LXXIV

Ah, Moon of my Delight, who know'st no wane,
The Moon of Heav'n is rising once again:
How oft hereafter rising shall she look
Through this same Garden after me--in vain!



Quatrain LXXV

And when Thyself with shining Foot shall pass
Among the Guests Star-scatter'd on the Grass,
And in thy joyous Errand reach the Spot
When I made one--tun down an empty Glass!

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting on this-it has been 40 years plus since I read this great poem but I still recall much of it-which is a tribute to the power of the poem

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  2. mel u,

    The Rubaiyat has long been a favorite of mine also. That's why I decided to slowly work my way through and post some thoughts on each quatrain.

    I think it has had a greater impact than many think because I keep running into brief snippets in other works and usually it's not attributed. I suspect it's because the writer does not realize it's source.

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