Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 122 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 122: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Content Analysis This is a page of running poetry text (page 96) from a work titled "Salámán and Absál." The verse describes a grieving male figure (Salámán) suffering over the loss of a beloved woman (Absál, who appears to have died). The text depicts his deep anguish—his sighs, his nighttime solitude—until a "Wise One" finds him and counsels submission to divine wisdom and acceptance. The passage concludes with references to love, memory, and a phantom image of Absál being conjured. The ornamental page borders and typography suggest this is from a Victorian-era literary publication, though the poetic content itself appears classical or orientalist in source.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
96 SALAMAN AND ABSAL. Wept blood—his sighs stood like a smoke in Heaven, ~ And Morning rent her garment at his anguish. And when Night came, that drew the pen across The written woes of Day for all but him, Crouch’d in a lonely corner of the house, He seem’d to feel about him in the dark For one who was not, and whom no fond word Could summon from the Void in which she lay. | | | | And so the Wise One found him where he sate | Bow’d down alone in darkness; and once more Made the long-silent voice of Reason sound In the deserted Palace of his Soul; Until SatAmAn lifted up his head To bow beneath the Master ; sweet it seem’d, Sweeping the chaff and litter from his own, To be the very dust of Wisdom’s door, | Slave of the Firman of the Lord of Life, Who pour’d the wine of Wisdom in his cup, ! Who laid the dew of Peace upon his lips; Yea, wrought by Miracle in his behalf. For when old Love return’d to Memory, | And broke in passion from his lips, THE Saar, | Under whose waxing WiLL Existence rose | From Nothing, and, relaxing, waned again, Raising a Fantom Image of ABsAt, ———— eee eee ee nn eee ce ee ee eC eee Comicoooks.com