Last Evening   Last evening when the skies in fury Thundered over our dull repose, And we quick-fastened all our shutters, Quietly a thought arose:   How sometimes through an apprehension Strange and awkward, we, unwise, Have lost the gleam of things immortal Passing across our fear-filled eyes.   How many flaming thoughts have vanished Unknown, for brains were sealed up tight; How many lovely truths eluded Minds wrapped in comfortable night.   All beauty's lightnings split the heavens, While we, safe home, crouch tucked away; Truth's gold wrath rumbles through the darkness, Our ears are plugged with terror's cl

Flight   Within the tranced night, The flames of souls unfold Their wings of shimmering gold, And to You take their flight.   You Guardian of the Fires, O heart of radiant love, Direct their flight above, Beyond the mind's blue spires.   Shelter them beneath your white Compassionate robes of stars, Beyond the earth's dream-bars. Fold them to your delight. Page-33

Age after Age   Age after age the cosmic scripts unfold The secret destinies of timeless earths, Changeless and changing through a myriad births, Through giant undulations that break and mould Stupendous mountain-strengths, the great gods' hold, And unseen rooted powers chained in night, Refashion scrolls of the designing Light, And trace new lines for the life-charts unrolled.   Age after age — and the flying stars return And turn the karmic gyres and whorls of flame, Vast rings of fire that build, and once more burn, Revolving fates, the same and never the same. The spirit's titan Will splits all apart To reveal the worlds o

Gift   Beloved, you bring to me Beauty beyond compare: The pure, white ecstasy — The hour of silent prayer.   The wells of light unclose Beneath your touch of flame; All memories repose Regathered in your name.   My muted thoughts evolve Swift wings of golden fire; Within your breath dissolve All darkness and desire.   The heavens unfold above, Eternities of grace; Resplendent worlds of love, Mirrored within your face. Page-35

Breaking   The world divides before my mind, And breaks to pieces in my heart; It is well the strangling thoughts unbind And let my dreamings fall apart.   There may be hallowings for these That came from out the mud and mire; That darkness held within its peace, And lifted up in shining fire.   But now that I know You are there, Beyond the swift veils of the light, This madness too has lost despair, I see the breakings break aright. Page-68

Destinies   A palace of destinies we build Upon the burning sands, With crystalled repercussions filled By Time, who understands   How all things pass upon the earth, As waters flow away, From life to life, and birth to birth, In endless roundelay;   And turn and pause and turn again Upon the curves of Fate, Unwinding still old Karma's chain, Striving to abrogate   The aeonic bonds, the Law's control, In vain — till Grace sets free The springs of Love upon the soul, And Will breaks destiny. Page-153

Introduction   Asked — rather honoured — to introduce this collection of poems, I cannot begin better than by repeating what I wrote to their author in 1951 when they first came to me in typescript: "You are a very fine poet. You have a genuine gift spontaneously sustained over years and some of your pieces are of absolutely first-rate quality. And this quality is not only exquisiteness: there is a distinct vein of what must be called greatness — that is to say, the thought, the vision, the emotion have both weight and depth and are carried to us on a rhythmic tone bringing a touch of some infinite which suggests a beyond to all that can be uttered. Often your expression is, as you

Chinese Song (God to the soul)   My friend of joy, Why do you never let me row? Or, you await, perhaps, the breaking of the oar? When it will break, I'll part the waters With skill of mine own arm; For we two must decoy The deep old river-god.   Where is the shore? The autumn moon comes arm in arm With his fair daughters: You want the moon to think You're rowing, but I think The little ones yet know That it is I. Page-140

Bird-song   Deep within the wells of being Floats an image of the sun; And there a bird sits singing, singing, Eternally, alone.   A hush immense walls up the song In crystal purity; And Silence sentinels its power, Its vast infinity.   So deep, so rich, the spirit-rune, The inner spaces shine, World after world unfolds in light And loveliness divine. Page-150

World-dust   Listen: they taught me to believe a lie, They put the consciousness of sin within My heart, and I believed that it was sin And so destroyed my dedication; I Shrunk down the dark and thought I should deny Henceforth Your presence, break our bond of kin, Swiftly unweave the quiet discipline Which held us, each to each, in purity. The shadow of my earth-love ever came Between us; shame-clots on my limbs and stain Of world-dust on my lips burnt sharp like flame, And everywhere Your glory cut me through: Sin-sapped I could not see beyond my pain That the Earth and I, being yours, were as pure as You. Page-118