Section: «Poems»

Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings: artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.); a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").

Suttee

LAMP of my life, the lips of DeathHath blown thee out with their sudden breath;Naught shall revive thy vanished spark . . .Love, must I dwell in the..

© Sarojini Naidu

The Indian Gipsy

In tattered robes that hoard a glittering traceOf bygone colours, broidered to the knee,Behold her, daughter of a wandering race,Tameless, with the..

© Sarojini Naidu

Street Cries

WHEN dawn's first cymbals beat upon the sky,Rousing the world to labour's various cry,To tend the flock, to bind the mellowing grain,From ardent toil..

© Sarojini Naidu

A Rajput Love Song

(Parvati at her lattice)O Love! were you a basil-wreath to twineamong my tresses,A jewelled clasp of shining gold to bind around my sleeve,O Love!..

© Sarojini Naidu

Indian Dancer

EYES ravished with rapture, celestially panting, what passionate bosoms aflaming with fireDrink deep of the hush of the hyacinth heavens that glimmer..

© Sarojini Naidu

Transcience

Nay, do not grieve tho' life be full of sadness,Dawn will not veil her spleandor for your grief,Nor spring deny their bright, appointed beautyTo..

© Sarojini Naidu

Past And Future

The new hath come and now the old retires:And so the past becomes a mountain-cell,Where lone, apart, old hermit-memories dwellIn consecrated calm..

© Sarojini Naidu

Village Song

HONEY, child, honey, child, whither are you going?Would you cast your jewels all to the breezes blowing?Would you leave the mother who on golden..

© Sarojini Naidu

Leili

The serpents are asleep among the poppies,The fireflies light the soundless panther's wayTo tangled paths where shy gazelles are straying,And..

© Sarojini Naidu

Harvest Hymn

Mens Voices:LORD of the lotus, lord of the harvest,Bright and munificent lord of the morn!Thine is the bounty that prospered our sowing,Thine is the..

© Sarojini Naidu

Song Of A Dream

ONCE in the dream of a night I stoodLone in the light of a magical wood,Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang;And spirits of Truth were the..

© Sarojini Naidu

In Salutation To The Eternal Peace

Men say the world is full of fear and hate,And all life's ripening harvest-fields awaitThe restless sickle of relentless fate.But I, sweet Soul..

© Sarojini Naidu

Alabaster

LIKE this alabaster box whose artIs frail as a cassia-flower, is my heart,Carven with delicate dreams and wroughtWith many a subtle and exquisite..

© Sarojini Naidu

Life

CHILDREN, ye have not lived, to you it seemsLife is a lovely stalactite of dreams,Or carnival of careless joys that leapAbout your hearts like..

© Sarojini Naidu

In The Bazaars Of Hyderabad

What do you sell O ye merchants ?Richly your wares are displayed.Turbans of crimson and silver,Tunics of purple brocade,Mirrors with panels of..

© Sarojini Naidu

Ecstasy

Cover mine eyes, O my Love!Mine eyes that are weary of blissAs of light that is poignant and strongO silence my lips with a kiss,My lips that are..

© Sarojini Naidu

Cradle Song

From groves of spice,O'er fields of rice,Athwart the lotus-stream,I bring for you,Aglint with dewA little lovely dream.Sweet, shut your eyes,The wild..

© Sarojini Naidu

A Love Song From The North

Tell me no more of thy love, papeeha,Wouldst thou recall to my heart, papeeha,Dreams of delight that are gone,When swift to my side came the feet of..

© Sarojini Naidu

In The Forest

HERE, O my heart, let us burn the dear dreams that are dead,Here in this wood let us fashion a funeral pyreOf fallen white petals and leaves that are..

© Sarojini Naidu

An Indian Love Song

HeLift up the veils that darken the delicate moonof thy glory and grace,Withhold not, O love, from the nightof my longing the joy of thy luminous..

© Sarojini Naidu

Coromandel Fishers

Rise, brothers, rise; the wakening skies pray to the morning light,The wind lies asleep in the arms of the dawn like a child that has cried all..

© Sarojini Naidu

Indian Weavers

WEAVERS, weaving at break of day,Why do you weave a garment so gay? . . .Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild,We weave the robes of a new-born..

© Sarojini Naidu

Autumn Song

Like a joy on the heart of a sorrow, The sunset hangs on a cloud;A golden storm of glittering sheaves,Of fair and frail and fluttering..

© Sarojini Naidu

Palanquin Bearers

Lightly, O lightly we bear her along,She sways like a flower in the wind of our song;She skims like a bird on the foam of a stream,She floats like a..

© Sarojini Naidu

A Creed

Lord let me not in service lag.Let me be worthy of our flag.Let me remember when I'm tired,The sons heroic who have died.In freedom's name and in my..

© Edgar Albert Guest