lar. Second, in con- trast with his long poetic practice, this ode does not follow the conventional tripartite pattern of the ode composed of elegiac prelude (nasib), journey section (rahil), then a third communal theme, such as praise (madih) or lam- poon (hijd'), nor the bipartite variety that elides the rahil. Instead, he begins with expressions of indignation and disappointment (roughly 11. 1-10), chan- neled into a short camel journey (roughly 11. 11-13), and then a tribute to the Sasanian palace (11. 14-56). Yet again the tribute is saturated with a mood not of triumph but ultimately lyricism, for these are not present, but former glories. The more glorious the Sasanian achievements are, the more wistful the poet becomes. In effect, the "praise section" here is unexpectedly like the elegiac nasib. Instead of triumphant closure, this poem gives us per- petual tears and yearning dedicated to the glory of the Sasan