Poem: Ten Songs for Sonali

 

‘’The Muse is a reality’’ (Martin Lings)                

 

Song 1

The month of Shravan

Is the month of love

When the skies burst forth with desire

Thunderously .

How could I know

You would steal silently into my heart?                

 

 

Song 2

I travel this road

With your longing

Looming in the dark clouds,

Endless hours.

Endlessly, I melt in the rain

That falls , like tears from my eyes ,

On the threshold of love.

When will you open your doors for me?              

 

 

Song 3

I remember

How Mira dreamt

Of her Madhan.

You reminded me

And I danced like Radha

In the moonlight of Vrindivan,

The universe danced with me .

 

 

Song 4

Take all I have,

And let me sit with my beggar’s bowl

At your feet.

Then, for the rest of my life,

I shall be rich.                                     

 

 

Song 5

I talked again to you, tonight !

My whole being is turned inside-out

Drunk with joy ,

Shameless in the streets,

An infidel.

But the wine was already in me,

As you were—

What did you awaken, then ?

 

 

Song 6

My days and nights are infinite now

And so long I wait

For you to emerge from within .

Come, life, come to my stricken courtyard again.

 

 

Song 7

All these fields, mountains, rivers, skies –

All are empty

They are burdened

With the anxiety of waiting.

I wait for you to lift my burdens,

You alone remove the burdens of your lovers.

 

 

Song 8

Dyed in your hue, I die

A hundred thousand deaths;

I wait here on this mud wall

Scanning the horizon

And all the rocky paths ,

Knowing

That each leads to you.

How shall I welcome you

Walking down the vale

You sweet voice singing ?

 

 

Song 9

The koel cries repeatedly your name

And I cry out with it, too,

So that I forget my name, my being,

And heed nothing.

All space is filled with you,

And all my dark chambers lighted .

 

Song 10

Because I have loved you

For more years than I can

Possibly measure,

I sway today ,

With the waywardness of the mustard-flowers,

Out of the shadows

Your voice calling out

With quiet familiarity  

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Originally published in Poets and Poetry International , Bangalore, India 2003