Cafes In Damascus Poem by Letitia Elizabeth Landon

Cafes In Damascus

Rating: 3.3


LANGUIDLY the night-wind bloweth
From the gardens round,
Where the clear Barrada floweth
With a lulling sound.

Not the lute-note's sweet shiver
Can such music find,
As is on a wandering river,
On a wandering wind.

There the Moslem leaneth, dreaming
O'er the inward world,
While around the fragrant steaming
Of the smoke is curled.

Rising from the coffee berry,
Dark grape of the South;
Or the pipe of polished cherry,
With its amber mouth.

Cooled by passing through the water,
Gurgling as it flows—
Scented by the Summer's daughter,
June's impassioned rose.

By that rose's spirit haunted
Are the dreams that rise,
Of far lands, and lives enchanted,
And of deep black eyes.

Thus with some sweet dream's assistance,
Float they down life's stream;
Would to heaven our whole existence
Could be such a dream!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Ramesh Rai 21 June 2013

i like the lasr stanza of this poem. beautiful write

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Peter Bolton 23 June 2015

This poem has the preface: “And Mahomet turned aside, and would not enter the fair city: ' It is, ' said he, ' too delicious.' Miss Landon adds the comment: The Cafés are perhaps the greatest luxury that a stranger can find in Damascus. Gardens, kiosques, fountains, and groves are abundant around every Eastern capital; but Cafés on the very bosom of a rapid river, and bathed by its waves, are peculiar to this ancient city: they are formed so as to exclude the rays of the sun while they admit the breeze. Would that the city were just so today.

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Prabir Gayen 08 December 2018

Very beautiful...nature is always inspiration...

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Dr Antony Theodore 31 July 2019

By that rose's spirit haunted Are the dreams that rise, Of far lands, and lives enchanted, And of deep black eyes. simply beautiful and very poetic. tony

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Ratnakar Mandlik 08 December 2018

Simply awesome poem and a pleasure to read and ponder over. Thanks for posting here as Poem of the Day.

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Anil Kumar Panda 08 December 2018

Enjoyed the poem thoroughly. From first line to last it is wonderful.

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Kumarmani Mahakul 08 December 2018

This is a beautiful poem with haunting expression.

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Edward Kofi Louis 08 December 2018

A lulling sound! ! Thanks for sharing.

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