TO CASSIM OBIO ALLAH[20]

Poor Cassim! thou art doom'd to mourn
By destiny's decree;
Whatever happens it must turn
To misery for thee.

Two sons hadst thou, the one thy pride,
The other was thy pest;
Ah, why did cruel death decide
To snatch away the best?

No wonder thou shouldst droop with woe,
Of such a child bereft;
But now thy tears must doubly flow,
For, ah! the other's left.

_Aly Ben Ahmed Ben Mansour_.

[20] Aly Ben Ahmed distinguished himself in prose as well as poetry,
and an historical work of considerable reputation, of which he was
the author, is still extant. But he principally excelled in satire,
and so fond was he of indulging this dangerous talent that no one
escaped his lash; if he could only bring out a sarcasm, it was
matter of indifference to him whether an enemy or a brother smarted
under its severity. He died at Bagdad A.H. 302.