ABU MIDJAN by Eugene Field: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
Abu Midjan is a brief narrative poem centered on a Saracen warrior whose passion for wine leads him to request burial beneath a vine.
The poem
_When Father Time swings round his scythe, Intomb me 'neath the bounteous vine, So that its juices, red and blithe, May cheer these thirsty bones of mine._ _"Elsewise with tears and bated breath Should I survey the life to be. But oh! How should I hail the death That brings that--vinous grace to me!"_ So sung the dauntless Saracen, Whereat the Prophet-Chief ordains That, curst of Allah, loathed of men, The faithless one shall die in chains. But one vile Christian slave that lay A prisoner near that prisoner saith: "God willing, I will plant some day A vine where liest thou in death." Lo, over Abu Midjan's grave With purpling fruit a vine-tree grows; Where rots the martyred Christian slave Allah, and only Allah, knows! ED Ed was a man that played for keeps, 'nd when he tuk the notion, You cudn't stop him any more'n a dam 'ud stop the ocean; For when he tackled to a thing 'nd sot his mind plum to it, You bet yer boots he done that thing though it broke the bank to do it! So all us boys uz knowed him best allowed he wuzn't jokin' When on a Sunday he remarked uz how he'd gin up smokin'. Now this remark, that Ed let fall, fell, ez I say, on Sunday-- Which is the reason we wuz shocked to see him sail in Monday A-puffin' at a snipe that sizzled like a Chinese cracker An' smelt fur all the world like rags instead uv like terbacker; Recoverin' from our first surprise, us fellows fell to pokin' A heap uv fun at "folks uz said how they had gin up smokin'." But Ed--sez he: "I found my work cud not be done without it-- Jes' try the scheme yourselves, my friends, ef any uv you doubt it! It's hard, I know, upon one's health, but there's a certain beauty In makin' sackerfices to the stern demands uv duty! So, wholly in a sperrit uv denial 'nd concession, I mortify the flesh 'nd smoke for the sake uv my perfession!"
Abu Midjan is a brief narrative poem centered on a Saracen warrior whose passion for wine leads him to request burial beneath a vine. Though he's judged for this desire, a Christian slave vows to plant a vine at his grave. The poem concludes with the vine flourishing, while the slave's destiny is left in God's hands. It reflects on themes of loyalty, faith, and the unexpected ways compassion can bridge divides between foes.
Line-by-line
_When Father Time swings round his scythe, / Intomb me 'neath the bounteous vine,_
_"Elsewise with tears and bated breath / Should I survey the life to be._
So sung the dauntless Saracen, / Whereat the Prophet-Chief ordains
But one vile Christian slave that lay / A prisoner near that prisoner saith:
Lo, over Abu Midjan's grave / With purpling fruit a vine-tree grows;
Tone & mood
The tone is both wry and mournful. Field narrates the story with a light, almost ballad-like pace, but the conclusion hits hard. There’s a sense of dry admiration for Abu Midjan's defiance, coupled with a subtle tenderness for the unnamed slave whose kindness remains unrecognized by anyone but, as the poem suggests, God.
Symbols & metaphors
- The vine / grapevine — Wine and the vine represent earthly pleasures, forbidden joy, and encapsulate Abu Midjan's entire identity. The vine that grows on his grave fulfills his wish and symbolizes loyalty that endures even after death.
- Father Time's scythe — A traditional view of death often portrays it as an inevitable and indifferent force. Abu Midjan, however, isn't afraid; he negotiates with death, revealing much about his character.
- Chains — Both men are literally chained—one by religious law and the other by conquest. These chains symbolize the oppressive power structures that can crush individuals, yet they can't stop one man from making a promise to another.
- The purpling fruit — The ripe grapes on the grave represent the poem's only splash of color and richness. They affirm that the promise was honored and grant Abu Midjan a form of posthumous triumph over the judgment that condemned him.
Historical context
Eugene Field wrote this poem inspired by the legend of Abu Midjan al-Thaqafi, a 7th-century Arab warrior and poet who fought alongside the Prophet Muhammad's forces but faced punishment for his wine drinking. According to historical accounts, Abu Midjan requested to be buried under a vine, and a similar story about a Christian slave exists in Arabic and Persian literature. Field, who wrote in the 1880s and 90s, was captivated by figures who defied religious norms. Although he was primarily known as a children's poet and a humorist for newspapers, works like this reveal his broader interests, particularly in cross-cultural tales of human kindness. This poem reflects a longstanding Western tradition of romanticizing the wine-loving Saracen, influenced in part by Edward FitzGerald's hugely popular 1859 translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
FAQ
Abu Midjan al-Thaqafi was a 7th-century Arab warrior and poet known for his role in the early Islamic conquests. He gained notoriety for his courage in battle and his defiance of Islamic laws against wine. It’s said that he faced flogging several times for drinking and even wrote verses expressing a desire to be buried beneath a vine. Field is drawing inspiration from that legend.
"Vile" is the term Abu Midjan's captors likely used — in that world, a Christian slave occupied the lowest social rung. Field adopts the viewpoint of the society depicted in the poem, rather than his own. By the end, the "vile" slave emerges as the poem's moral hero, adding a layer of quiet irony to the word choice.
The slave who kept the promise has died — "where rots the martyred Christian slave" — and no one knows where or how. Field's point is that this act of kindness between enemies was seen only by God. This honors the slave without making him seem overly sentimental: history may have forgotten him, but the poem asserts that his act was significant.
Not really. The "Prophet-Chief" who criticizes Abu Midjan represents strict authority, but Field empathizes with the individual in opposition to the institution — a theme he extends to all religions. In fact, the ending calls upon Allah as the ultimate witness to the slave's goodness, which is a gesture of respect, not dismissal.
The poem consists of quatrains—four-line stanzas—with an ABAB rhyme scheme. It follows a meter that is mostly iambic tetrameter, creating a ballad-like rhythm that tells a story. This structure fits the poem's intent well, as it feels like a legend being handed down through generations.
FitzGerald's Rubaiyat, released in 1859, turned the wine-loving, fate-defying Persian poet into a cultural icon in the English-speaking world. Field was inspired by that tradition — the brave drinker who confronts death head-on, discovering more truth in a cup of wine than in religious teachings. Abu Midjan is essentially Field's take on that archetype, rooted in a real historical figure.
Field doesn't provide an explanation — he simply presents it as a fact: "Lo, over Abu Midjan's grave / With purpling fruit a vine-tree grows." The word "Lo" carries significant weight; it conveys a sense of revelation. The vine's growth appears as a subtle miracle, with the universe respecting Abu Midjan's desire even in the face of condemnation from religious authorities.