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ASIA AT NIJNI-NOVGOROD, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Give me a melon of khiva
Last Line: And the spicy melons of asia!
Alternate Author Name(s): Dean
Subject(s): Melons; Nijni-novgorod, Russia; Russia; Soviet Union; Russians


GIVE me a melon of Khiva,
Luscious and round and yellow, --
It's mate for the Lord of China
Hardly so fair and mellow, --
And place on the tray beside it,
Worthy of sheikh or khan,
Peaches that grew in the gardens
Of the golden Zerefshan.

And a cup of Flowery Pekoe, --
Tea of the mandarins, --
Gathered in dewy morning,
Just when the spring begins.
Keep for the peasant and Tartar
The bowls of the dark Bohea
Plucked when the heats of summer
With rank leaves load the tree.

Ah, what ravishing flavors!
Not the wine of the Rhine,
Not of Tokay, nor the nectar
Won from the Cyprian vine,
Nor Sicily's oranges rarest,
Nor sweetest figs of Dalmatia,
Rival the flowery Pekoe
And the spicy melons of Asia!





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