The Young Greek Odalisque.
'Mid silken cushions, richly wrought, a young Greek girl reclined,
And fairer form the harem's walls had ne'er before enshrined;
'Mid all the young and lovely ones who round her clustered there,
With glowing cheeks and sparkling eyes, she shone supremely fair.
'Tis true that orbs as dark as hers in melting softness shone,
And lips whose coral hue might vie in brightness with her own;
And forms as light as ever might in Moslem's heaven be found,
So full of beauty's witching grace, were lightly hovering round.
Yet, oh, how paled their brilliant charms before that beauteous one
Who, 'mid their gay mirth, silent sat, from all apart - alone,
Outshining all, not by the spells of lovely face or form,
But by the soul that shone through all, her peerless, priceless charm.