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

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!