Classic Poem

(1)

A cock in the hen-house shrilly trolled, " Coocoolicoo!
" Hear, O revellers young and old, Coocoolicoo!
" Where are Bahman and Rustam bold? Coocoolicoo!
" The Autumn chill doth the rose enfold, Coocoolicoo!
" Alack and alas for the Winter's cold, Coocoolicoo! "

(2)

Floods of trouble have brought our land to a swift decline,
The while we sleep, bemused, like men who are drunk with wine.
The Water-man to the birds of the air doth loud repine,
" There's a dearth of men amongst young and old, Coocoolicoo!
" Alack and alas for the Winter's cold, Coocoolicoo! "

(3)

The very field sheds tears of blood o'er the peasant's state;
The very heart of the stone doth melt at the peasant's fate;
Hungry and naked the peasant's child and the peasant's mate!
Alas for the peasant's woes untold, Coocoolicoo!
Alack and alas for the Winter's cold, Coocoolicoo!

(4)

Fie on this life and this star sinister, banishing joy!
Out on this page reversed and the zeal without employ!
" Alas for Tabriz, doomed to become the Russians' toy!
And for Qazwin, by Muscovite troops patrolled, Coocoolicoo! "
Cry the cocks and the roosters young and old, Coocoolicoo!

(5)

Where are Bukhara, Khiva, Balkh and Kabul, where?
Babylon, India, Samarqand and Zabul, where?
Where the Caucasian lands and their blossoming gardens fair?
The Caspian Sea was ours of old, Coocoolicoo!
Alack and alas for the Winter's cold, Coocoolicoo!

(6)

Alas for lands so easily lost as these have been!
Our village-children are filled with terror and fear, I ween!
In Khurasan, alas! and in Tabriz too, and eke Qazwin
Daily the Russians manaeuvres hold, Coocoolicoo!
Alack and alas for the Winter's cold, Coocoolicoo!

(7)

Rouse ye, Ho! for as yet 'tis but the first of the work!
Rage like lions: the hunt's toward, and who would shirk?
Quit ye as men, for in every corner a foe doth lurk!
Spurned in the dust are the roosters bold, Coocoolicoo!
A Muslim land shall the heathen hold? Coocoolicoo!

(8)

Terrible talk is heard to-day in Anzali
Of Lianzoff's claims to the fish which haunt our rivers and sea;
In a million ways with our homes and lands he now makes free
To the sea the fisherman's woes are told, Coocoolicoo!
Alack and alas for the Winter's cold, Coocoolicoo!