Talisman

Where the sea — eternal stormer —
Splashes on deserted scaurs,
Where the moon is shining warmer
At the tender nightfall hours,
Where bondmaidens serve in duty
To the reveling mussulman,
There, caressing me, a beauty
Handed me a talisman.

And she spoke to me, caressing:
"Keep this talisman, my dove:
It contains a secret blessing!
It is given you by love.
Should it happen that from blizzard,
Threat, misfortune, death you ran,
You would not be saved by wizard
Powers of my talisman.

"And of oriental profit
It will never bring to you;
And adorers of the Prophet
It will never win to you;
Nor to northern lands from southern
All across the global span
To the bosom of your brethren
Carry you my talisman.

"But when wily eyes would harness
Your sad fancy instantly,
Or unloving lips in darkness
Give a kiss of falsity —
Then oh friend! of crime, of letting
New heart wounds on my dear man,
Of betrayal, of forgetting
Safeguard you my talisman!"