I saw thee as a summit towering high,And called upon my verse — it came nigh;
The poetry was wild, rebellious, free,And when I called on Faisal, answered he;
The verse marched in the train of noble things,And soared to storm the very clouds on wings;
Thou wast the light that swept the darkness clear,Thou wast the bounty filling us with cheer;
From mountain peaks thou took'st resolve and might,That strikes with awe when truth stands in the light;
Thou didst bestow on it thy aid and grace,A beacon for those steeped in sorrow's space;
And said to them: Your place is here — behold,The Arabs' rights are plundered, bought and sold;
When their resources dwindled to a stream,And all they brought became an empty dream,
Their leadership became a mere mirage,Their guide within it but a raven's charge;
They stopped their ears to every word of truth,How shall the deaf attend the voice of youth?
When they unlock deceit's abiding door,We see them shut the gate of truth once more;
They welcomed ignorance's humbling chain,Their folly wondrous, passing all disdain;
They turned from faith's clear fountain, parched and dry,Their leaders showed no mercy to the cry;
They lived their lives as wanderers astray,Like flocks of birds that haunt the ruins' way;
Some starving find no sustenance at all,Some thirsty find no drink when shadows fall;
Some wander love's deep valley, lost and lone,Some bewildered have lost the mountain stone;
Some bear time's burden, bent beneath its weight,Chained and tormented by a cruel fate;
Religion's champion, Faisal, favoured us,And sent his goodness forth, a meteor's thrust;
Who guards the fathers save the faithful one,Who shields the right and will not be undone;
He kept the city and the desert lands,Mecca, Riyadh, and what fear demands;
He built in Hijaz ramparts of renown,Restoring unto Arabism its crown;
O my own verse, hold — thou canst not ascendTo his high station — clip, and condescend;
I'll mention Faisal ever, loyal, true,Who loves forgiveness, shows no blame to view;
Pure friendship joined with kindness in his breast,The sphere turned round and swept the mist to rest;
Religion's champion, the two sanctuaries,And Faisal best of those who guard the wise;
Glean from the House, and kneel beside Taha's shrine,And greet the Companions on his behalf divine.
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