Last Poems Part 3

The years go hence, and wild and lovely things, _Their own_, go with them, never to return.

Khristna and His Flute

(Translation by Moolchand)

Be still, my heart, and listen, For sweet and yet acute I hear the wistful music Of Khristna and his flute.

Across the cool, blue evenings, Throughout the burning days, Persuasive and beguiling, He plays and plays and plays.

Ah, none may hear such music Resistant to its charms, The household work grows weary, And cold the husband's arms.

I must arise and follow, To seek, in vain pursuit, The blueness and the distance, The sweetness of that flute!

In linked and liquid sequence, The plaintive notes dissolve Divinely tender secrets That none but he can solve.

Oh, Khristna, I am coming, I can no more delay.

"My heart has flown to join thee,"

How can my footsteps stay?

Beloved, such thoughts have peril; The wish is in my mind That I had fired the jungle, And left no leaf behind,-- Burnt all bamboos to ashes, And made their music mute,-- To save thee from the magic Of Khristna and his flute.

Song of Jasoda

Had I been young I could have claimed to fold thee For many days against my eager breast; But, as things are, how can I hope to hold thee Once thou hast wakened from this fleeting rest?

Clear shone the moonlight, so that thou couldst find me, Yet not so clear that thou couldst see my face, Where in the shadow of the palms behind me I waited for thy steps, for thy embrace.

What reck I now my morning life was lonely?

For widowed feet the ways are always rough.

Though thou hast come to me at sunset only, Still thou hast come, my Lord, it is enough.

Ah, mine no more the glow of dawning beauty, The fragrance and the dainty gloss of youth, Worn by long years of solitude and duty, I have no bloom to offer thee in truth.

Yet, since these eyes of mine have never wandered, Still may they gleam with long forgotten light.

Since in no wanton way my youth was squandered, Some sense of youth still clings to me to-night.

_Thy_ lips are fresh as dew on budding roses, The gold of dawn still lingers in thy hair, While the abandonment of sleep discloses How every att.i.tude of youth is fair.

Thou art so pale, I hardly dare caress thee, Too brown my fingers show against the white.

Ahi, the glory, that I should possess thee, Ahi, the grief, but for a single night!

The tulip tree has pallid golden flowers That grow more rosy as their petals fade; Such is the splendour of my evening hours Whose time of youth was wasted in the shade.

I shall not wait to see to-morrow's morning, Too bright the golden dawn for me,--too bright,-- How could I bear thine eyes' unconscious scorning Of what so pleased thee in the dimmer light?

It may be wine had brought some brief illusion, Filling thy brain with rainbow fantasy, Or youth, with moonlight, making sweet collusion, Threw an alluring glamour over me

Therefore I leave thee softly, to awaken When the first sun rays warm thy blue-veined breast, Smiling and all unknowing I have taken The poppied drink that brings me endless rest.

Thus would I have thee rise; thy fancy laden With the vague sweetness of the bygone night, Thinking of me as some consenting maiden, Whose beauty blossomed first for thy delight.

While I, if any kindly visions hover Around the silence of my last repose, Shall dream of thee, my pale and radiant lover, Who made my life so lovely at its close!

Song of Ramesram Temple Girl

Now is the season of my youth, Not thus shall I always be, Listen, dear Lord, thou too art young, Take thy pleasure with me.

My hair is straight as the falling rain, And fine as morning mist, I am a rose awaiting thee That none have touched or kissed.

Do as thou wilt with mine and me, Beloved, I only pray, Follow the promptings of thy youth.

Let there be no delay!

A leaf that flutters upon the bough, A moment, and it is gone,-- A bubble amid the fountain spray,-- Ah, pause, and think thereon; For such is youth and its pa.s.sing bloom That wait for thee this hour, If aught in thy heart incline to me Ah, stoop and pluck thy flower!

Come, my Lord, to the temple shade, Where cooling fountains play, If aught in thy heart incline to love Let there be no delay!

Many shall faint with love of me And I shall slake their thirst, But Fate has brought thee hither to-day That thou shouldst be the first.

Old, so old are the temple-walls, Love is older than they; But I am the short-lived temple rose, Blooming for thee to-day.

Thine am I, Prince, and only thine, What is there more so say ?

If aught in thy heart incline to love Let there be no delay!

The Rao of Ilore

I was sold to the Rao of Ilore, Slender and tall was he.

When his litter carried him down the street I peeped through the thatch to see.

Ah, the eyes of the Rao of Ilore, My lover that was to be!

The hair that lay on his youthful brow Was curled like an ocean wave; His eyes were lit with a tender smile, But his lips were soft and grave.

For sake of these things I was still with joy When the silver coins were paid, And they took me up to the Palace gates, Delighted and unafraid.

Ah, the eyes of the Rao of Ilore, May never their brilliance fade!

So near was I to the crown of life!

Ten thousand times, alas!

The Diwan leant from the latticed hall, Looked down and saw me pa.s.s.

He begged for me from the Rao of Ilore, Who answered, "She is thine, Thou wert ever more than a father to me, And thy desires are mine."

Ah, the eyes of the Rao of Ilore That never had looked in mine!

My years were spent in the Diwan's Courts, My youth died down that day.

For sake of thine own content of mind My lost beloved, I pray That never my Lord a love may know Like that he threw away.

Ah, the eyes of the Rao of Ilore, Who threw my life away!

To M. C. N.