The Captive

Publication history

This verse precedes the story “The Captive” in Traffics and Discoveries, published in 1904, n which it first appeared. It was collected under the name of “The Captive” (with slight variations) in Songs from Books, (1912) Definitive Verse, (1940) Inclusive Verse, (1918) Burwash Edition, Volume 27, and Sussex Edition, Volume 34, page 52.

Notes on the Text

[Line 3] nipped: fixed

[Line 13] Djinns: In Arab mythology, djinns are demons that can assume the forms of serpents, dogs, cats, monsters, or even human beings. The evil ones are ugly but the good ones are exquisitely beautiful. (Lisa Lewis).

[Line 15] amid captives his capture: See this note to “Sir Richard’s Song“.

[Line 18] on him be the Peace and the Blessing: the classic Islamic greeting: :

‘Peace be upon you as well as the Mercy of God and his Blessings.’ [D.H.]