Manticore In Arabia

Thick and scented daisies spread

Wherewith surface dull like lead

Arabian pools of slime invite

Manticores down from a neighboring height

To dip heads, to cool fiery blood

In oozy depths of sucking mud.

Sing then of ringstraked manticor,

Man-visaged tiger who of yore

Held whole Arabian waste in fee

With raging pride from sea to sea,

That every lesser tribe would fly

Those armed feet, that hooded eye;

Till preying on himself at last

Manticore dwindled, sank, was passed

By griffin flocks he did disdain.

Ay, wyverns and rude dragons reign

In the ancient keep of manticore

Agreed old foe can rise no more.

Only here from lakes of slime

Drinks manticor and bides due time:

Six times Fowl Phoenix in yon tree

Must mount his pyre and burn and be

Renewed again, till in such hour

As seventh Phoenix flames to power

And lifts young feathers, overnice

From a scented pool of steamy spice

Shall manticore his sway restore

And rule Arabian plains once more.