the golden threshold-第5节
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And exquisite； subtle and slow are the tinkle
and tread of their rhythmical； slumber…
soft feet。
Now silent； now singing and swaying and swing…
ing； like blossoms that bend to the
breezes or showers；
Now wantonly winding； they flash； now they
falter； and； lingering； languish in radiant
choir；
Their jewel…girt arms and warm； wavering； lily…
long fingers enchant through melodious
hours；
Eyes ravished with rapture； celestially pant…
ing； what passionate bosoms aflaming
with fire！
MY DEAD DREAM
Have you found me； at last； O my Dream？
Seven aeons ago
You died and I buried you deep under forests
of snow。
Why have you come hither？ Who bade you
awake from your sleep
And track me beyond the cerulean foam of the
deep？
Would you tear from my lintels these sacred
green garlands of leaves？
Would you scare the white； nested； wild
pigeons of joy from my eaves？
Would you touch and defile with dead fingers
the robes of my priest？
Would you weave your dim moan with the
chantings of love at my feast？
Go back to your grave； O my Dream； under
forests of snow；
Where a heart…riven child hid you once； seven
aeons ago。
Who bade you arise from your darkness？ I
bid you depart！
Profane not the shrines I have raised in the
clefts of my heart。
DAMAYANTE TO NALA IN THE HOUR OF EXILE
（A fragment）
Shalt thou be conquered of a human fate
My liege； my lover； whose imperial head
Hath never bent in sorrow of defeat？
Shalt thou be vanquished； whose imperial feet
Have shattered armies and stamped empires dead？
Who shall unking thee； husband of a queen？
Wear thou thy majesty inviolate。
Earth's glories flee of human eyes unseen；
Earth's kingdoms fade to a remembered dream；
But thine henceforth shall be a power supreme；
Dazzling command and rich dominion；
The winds thy heralds and thy vassals all
The silver…belted planets and the sun。
Where'er the radiance of thy coming fall；
Shall dawn for thee her saffron footcloths spread；
Sunset her purple canopies and red；
In serried splendour； and the night unfold
Her velvet darkness wrought with starry gold
For kingly raiment； soft as cygnet…down。
My hair shall braid thy temples like a crown
Of sapphires； and my kiss upon thy brows
Like cithar…music lull thee to repose；
Till the sun yield thee homage of his light。
O king； thy kingdom who from thee can wrest？
What fate shall dare uncrown thee from this breast；
O god…born lover； whom my love doth gird
And armour with impregnable delight
Of Hope's triumphant keen flame…carven sword？
THE QUEEN'S RIVAL
QUEEN Gulnaar sat on her ivory bed；
Around her countless treasures were spread；
Her chamber walls were richly inlaid
With agate； porphory； onyx and jade；
The tissues that veiled her delicate breast；
Glowed with the hues of a lapwing's crest；
But still she gazed in her mirror and sighed
〃O King； my heart is unsatisfied。〃
King Feroz bent from his ebony seat：
〃Is thy least desire unfulfilled； O Sweet？
〃Let thy mouth speak and my life be spent
To clear the sky of thy discontent。〃
〃I tire of my beauty； I tire of this
Empty splendour and shadowless bliss；
〃With none to envy and none gainsay；
No savour or salt hath my dream or day。〃
Queen Gulnaar sighed like a murmuring rose：
〃Give me a rival； O King Feroz。〃
II
King Feroz spoke to his Chief Vizier：
〃Lo！ ere to…morrow's dawn be here；
〃Send forth my messengers over the sea；
To seek seven beautiful brides for me；
〃Radiant of feature and regal of mien；
Seven handmaids meet for the Persian Queen。〃
。 。 。 。 。
Seven new moon tides at the Vesper call；
King Feroz led to Queen Gulnaar's hall
A young queen eyed like the morning star：
〃I bring thee a rival； O Queen Gulnaar。〃
But still she gazed in her mirror and sighed：
〃O King； my heart is unsatisfied。〃
Seven queens shone round her ivory bed；
Like seven soft gems on a silken thread；
Like seven fair lamps in a royal tower；
Like seven bright petals of Beauty's flower
Queen Gulnaar sighed like a murmuring rose
〃Where is my rival； O King Feroz？〃
III
When spring winds wakened the mountain floods；
And kindled the flame of the tulip buds；
When bees grew loud and the days grew long；
And the peach groves thrilled to the oriole's song；
Queen Gulnaar sat on her ivory bed；
Decking with jewels her exquisite head；
And still she gazed in her mirror and sighed：
〃O King； my heart is unsatisfied。〃
Queen Gulnsar's daughter two spring times old；
In blue robes bordered with tassels of gold；
Ran to her knee like a wildwood fay；
And plucked from her hand the mirror away。
Quickly she set on her own light curls
Her mother's fillet with fringes of pearls；
Quickly she turned with a child's caprice
And pressed on the mirror a swift； glad kiss。
Queen Gulnaar laughed like a tremulous rose：
〃Here is my rival； O King Feroz。〃
THE POET TO DEATH
Tarry a while； O Death； I cannot die
While yet my sweet life burgeons with its spring；
Fair is my youth； and rich the echoing boughs
Where dhadikulas sing。
Tarry a while； O Death； I cannot die
With all my blossoming hopes unharvested；
My joys ungarnered； all my songs unsung；
And all my tears unshed。
Tarry a while； till I am satisfied
Of love and grief； of earth and altering sky；
Till all my human hungers are fulfilled；
O Death； I cannot die！
THE INDIAN GIPSY
In tattered robes that hoard a glittering trace
Of bygone colours； broidered to the knee；
Behold her； daughter of a wandering race；
Tameless； with the bold falcon's agile grace；
And the lithe tiger's sinuous majesty。
With frugal skill her simple wants she tends；
She folds her tawny heifers and her sheep
On lonely meadows when the daylight ends；
Ere the quick night upon her flock descends
Like a black panther from the caves of sleep。
Time's river winds in foaming centuries
Its changing； swift； irrevocable course
To far off and incalculable seas；
She is twin…born with primal mysteries；
And drinks of life at Time's forgotten source。
TO MY CHILDREN
Jaya Surya； aetat 4
Golden sun of victory； born
In my life's unclouded morn；
In my lambent sky of love；
May your growing glory prove
Sacred to your consecration；
To my heart and to my nation。
Sun of victory； may you be
Sun of song and liberty。
Padmaja； aetat 3
Lotus…maiden； you who claim
All the sweetness of your name；
Lakshmi； fortune's queen； defend you；
Lotus…born like you； and send you
Balmy moons of love to bless you；
Gentle joy…winds to caress you。
Lotus…maiden； may you be
Fragrant of all ecstasy。
Ranadheera； aetat 2
Little lord of battle； hail
In your newly…tempered mail！
Learn to conquer； learn to fight
In the foremost flanks of right；
Like Valmiki's heroes bold；
Rubies girt in epic gold。
Lord of battle； may you be；
Lord of love and chivalry。
Lilamani； aetat 1
Limpid jewel of delight
Severed from the tender night
Of your sheltering mother…mine；
Leap and sparkle； dance and shine；
Blithely and securely set
In love's magic coronet。
Living jewel； may you be
Laughter…bound and sorrow…free。
THE PARDAH NASHIN
Her life is a revolving dream
Of languid and sequestered ease；
Her girdles and her fillets gleam
Like changing fires on sunset seas；
Her raiment is like morning mist；
Shot opal； gold and amethyst。
From thieving light of eyes impure；
From coveting sun or wind's caress；
Her days are guarded and secure
Behind her carven lattices；
Like jewels in a turbaned crest；
Like secrets in a lover's breast。
But though no hand unsanctioned dares
Unveil the mysteries of her grace；
Time lifts the curtain unawares；
And Sorrow looks into her face 。 。 。
Who shall prevent the subtle years；
Or shield a woman's eyes from tears？
TO YOUTH
O Youth； sweet comrade Youth； wouldst thou be gone？
Long have we dwelt together； thou and I；
Together drunk of many an alien dawn；
And plucked the fruit of many an alien sky。
Ah； fickle friend； must I； who yesterday
Dreamed forwards to long； undimmed ecstasy；
Henceforward dream； because thou wilt not stay；
Backward to transient pleasure and to thee？
I give thee back thy false； ephemeral vow；
But； O beloved comrade； ere we part；
Upon my mournful eyelids and my brow
Kiss me who hold thine image in my heart。
NIGHTFALL IN THE CITY OF HYDERABAD
See how the speckled sky burns like a pigeon's throat；
Jewelled with embers of opal and peridote。
