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and pipe。
Women's Voices
Queen of the gourd…flower； queen of the harvest； Sweet and
omnipotent mother； O Earth！ Thine is the plentiful bosom that feeds us；
Thine is the womb where our riches have birth。 We bring thee our love and
our garlands for tribute； With gifts of thy opulent giving we come； O
source of our manifold gladness； we hail thee； We praise thee； O Prithvi；
with cymbal and drum。
All Voices
Lord of the Universe； Lord of our being； Father eternal； ineffable Om！
Thou art the Seed and the Scythe of our harvests； Thou art our Hands and
our Heart and our Home。 We bring thee our lives and our labours for
tribute； Grant us thy succour； thy counsel； thy care。 O Life of all life and
all blessing； we hail thee； We praise thee； O Bramha； with cymbal and
prayer。
INDIAN LOVE…SONG
She
Like a serpent to the calling voice of flutes； Glides my heart into thy
fingers； O my Love！ Where the night…wind； like a lover； leans above His
jasmine…gardens and sirisha…bowers； And on ripe boughs of many…
coloured fruits Bright parrots cluster like vermilion flowers。
He
Like the perfume in the petals of a rose； Hides thy heart within my
bosom； O my love！ Like a garland； like a jewel； like a dove That hangs its
nest in the asoka…tree。 Lie still； O love； until the morning sows Her tents of
gold on fields of ivory。
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THE GOLDEN THRESHOLD
CRADLE…SONG
From groves of spice； O'er fields of rice； Athwart the lotus…stream；I
bring for you；Aglint with dew A little lovely dream。
Sweet； shut your eyes；The wild fire…fiies Dance through the fairy
neem；From the poppy…boleFor you I stole A little lovely dream。
Dear eyes； good…night；In golden light The stars around you gleam；On
you I pressWith soft caress A little lovely dream。
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SUTTEE
Lamp of my life； the lips of Death Hath blown thee out with their
sudden breath； Naught shall revive thy vanished spark 。 。 。 Love； must I
dwell in the living dark？
Tree of my life； Death's cruel foot Hath crushed thee down to thy
hidden root； Nought shall restore thy glory fled 。 。 。 Shall the blossom live
when the tree is dead？
Life of my life； Death's bitter sword Hath severed us like a broken
word； Rent us in twain who are but one 。 。 Shall the flesh survive when
the soul is gone？
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THE GOLDEN THRESHOLD
SONGS FOR MUSIC
SONG OF A DREAM
Once in the dream of a night I stood Lone in the light of a magical
wood； Soul…deep in visions that poppy…like sprang； And spirits of Truth
were the birds that sang； And spirits of Love were the stars that glowed；
And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowed In that magical wood in
the land of sleep。
Lone in the light of that magical grove； I felt the stars of the spirits of
Love Gather and gleam round my delicate youth； And I heard the song of
the spirits of Truth； To quench my longing I bent me low By the streams of
the spirits of Peace that flow In that magical wood in the land of sleep。
HUMAYUN TO ZOBEIDA
（From the Urdu） You flaunt your beauty in the rose； your glory in the
dawn； Your sweetness in the nightingale； your whiteness in the swan。
You haunt my waking like a dream； my slumber like a moon； Pervade
me like a musky scent； possess me like a tune。
Yet； when I crave of you； my sweet； one tender moment's grace； You
cry； 〃I SIT BEHIND THE VEIL； I CANNOT SHOW MY FACE。〃
Shall any foolish veil divide my longing from my bliss？ Shall any
fragile curtain hide your beauty from my kiss？
What war is this of THEE and ME？ Give o'er the wanton strife； You
are the heart within my heart； the life within my life。
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
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leaves；The wild wind blows in a cloud。
Hark to a voice that is callingTo my heart in the voice of the wind： My
heart is weary and sad and alone； For its dreams like the fluttering leaves
have gone；And why should I stay behind？
ALABASTER
Like this alabaster box whose art Is frail as a cassia…flower； is my heart；
Carven with delicate dreams and wrought With many a subtle and
exquisite thought。
Therein I treasure the spice and scent Of rich and passionate memories
blent Like odours of cinnamon； sandal and clove； Of song and sorrow and
life and love。
ECSTASY
Cover mine eyes； O my Love！Mine eyes that are weary of bliss As of
light that is poignant and strongO silence my lips with a kiss； My lips that
are weary of song！
Shelter my soul； O my love！My soul is bent low with the pain And the
burden of love； like the graceOf a flower that is smitten with rain： O
shelter my soul from thy face！
TO MY FAIRY FANCIES
Nay； no longer I may hold you；In my spirit's soft caresses； Nor like
lotus…leaves enfold youIn the tangles of my tresses。 Fairy fancies； fly
awayTo the white cloud…wildernesses； Fly away！
Nay； no longer ye may lingerWith your laughter…lighted faces； Now I
am a thought…worn singerIn life's high and lonely places。 Fairy fancies； fly
away；To bright wind…inwoven spaces； Fly away！
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POEMS
ODE TO H。H。 THE NIZAM OF HYDERABAD
（Presented at the Ramzan Durbar）
Deign； Prince； my tribute to receive； This lyric offering to your name；
Who round your jewelled scepter bind The lilies of a poet's fame； Beneath
whose sway concordant dwell The peoples whom your laws embrace； In
brotherhood of diverse creeds； And harmony of diverse race：
The votaries of the Prophet's faith； Of whom you are the crown and
chief And they； who bear on Vedic brows Their mystic symbols of belief；
And they； who worshipping the sun； Fled o'er the old Iranian sea； And
they； who bow to Him who trod The midnight waves of Galilee。
Sweet； sumptuous fables of Baghdad The splendours of your court
recall； The torches of a Thousand Nights Blaze through a single festival；
And Saki…singers down the streets； Pour for us； in a stream divine； From
goblets of your love…ghazals The rapture of your Sufi wine。
Prince； where your radiant cities smile； Grim hills their sombre vigils
keep； Your ancient forests hoard and hold The legends of their centuried
sleep； Your birds of peace white…pinioned float O'er ruined fort and storied
plain； Your faithful stewards sleepless guard The harvests of your gold and
grain。
God give you joy； God give you grace To shield the truth and smite the
wrong； To honour Virtue； Valour； Worth。 To cherish faith and foster song。
So may the lustre of your days Outshine the deeds Firdusi sung； Your
name within a nation's prayer； Your music on a nation's tongue。
LEILI
The serpents are asleep among the poppies； The fireflies light the
soundless panther's way To tangled paths where shy gazelles are straying；
And parrot…plumes outshine the dying day。 O soft！ the lotus…buds upon the
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stream Are stirring like sweet maidens when they dream。
A caste…mark on the azure brows o