Reminiscence
My soul arose at dawn and, listening, heard
One voice abroad, a solitary bird,
A song not master of its note, a cry
That persevered into eternity.
My soul leaned out into the dawn to hear
In the world’s solitude its winged compeer
And, hearkening what the Angel had to say,
Saw lustre in midnight and a secret day
Was opened to it. It beheld the stars
Born from a thought and knew how being prepares.
Then I remembered how I woke from sleep
And made the skies, built earth, formed ocean deep.
Reference: # 5 in "Les poèmes de Sri
Aurobindo" (bilingual edition)
also in "Collected Poems and Plays, vol 1" - 124
"Short Poems" written between 1895-1908
A Tree
A tree beside the sandy river-beach
Holds up its topmost boughs
Like fingers towards the skies they cannot reach,
Earth-bound, heaven-amorous.
This is the soul of man. Body and brain
Hungry for earth our heavenly flight detain.
Reference: # 6 in "Les poèmes de Sri
Aurobindo" (bilingual edition)
also in "Collected Poems and Plays, vol 1" - 128
Revelation
Someone leaping from the rocks
Past me ran with wind-blown locks
Like a startled bright surmise
Visible to mortal eyes, --
Just a cheek of frightened rose
That with sudden beauty glows,
Just a footstep like the wind
And a hurried glance behind.
And then nothing, -- as a thought
Escapes the mind ere it is caught.
Someone of the heavenly rout
From behind the veil ran out.
Reference: # 8 in "Les poèmes de Sri
Aurobindo" (bilingual edition)
also in "Collected Poems and Plays, vol 1" - 131
The Sea at Night
The grey sea creeps half-visible, half-hushed,
And grasps with its innumerable hands
These silent walls. I see beyond a rough
Glimmering infinity, I feel the wash
And hear the sibilation of the waves
That whisper to each other as they push
To shoreward side by side, --long lines and dim
Of movement flecked with quivering spots of foam,
The quiet welter of a shifting world.
Reference: # 9 in "Les poèmes de Sri
Aurobindo" (bilingual edition)
also in "Collected Poems and Plays, vol 1" - 135
A Child's Imagination
O thou golden image,
Miniature of bliss,
Speaking sweetly, speaking meetly!
Every word deserves a kiss.
Strange, remote and splendid
Childhood's fancy pure
Thrills to thoughts we cannot fathom,
Quick felicities obscure.
When the eyes grown solemn
Laughter fades away,
Nature of her mighty childhood
Recollects the Titan play;
Woodlands touched by sunlight
Where the elves abode,
Giant meetings,Titan greetings,
Fancies of a youthful God.
These are coming on thee
In thy secret thought;
God remembers in thy bosom
All the wonders that He wrought.
Reference: # 10 in "Les poèmes de Sri
Aurobindo" (bilingual edition)
also in "Collected Poems and Plays, vol 1" - 134
Sri Aurobindo
all references published by Sri
Aurobindo Ashram - Pondicherry
diffusion by SABDA
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