Living hangs swinging
On the two perches of life
And death. Death is a mysterious
Dream land and life a sweetest reverie
Of the day’s sleep.
Love is her sister
And passion passionate friend
Of which you and I were
The two inmates unknown.
Time with us travelled forlorn
And we made the desert
An oasis so sweet.
There were thus the flowers and buds
In which methink
Are now we players most known.
One day, a humming sound
Jaunted from Heaven
That you my heavenly Moon are
And I, your star,
Created by Lord
To live always afar.
But you and I and I and you
Played ever countless hide and seek,
Sat for a moment
In the Eden,
The loveliest place of God,
Conjuring the hymn of Love.
“For I am your blessed moon”, you said
“And I your brightest star”, I murmured.
Chirping of the birds,
And humming of the bees,
And bliss of the unknown
Thrilled our nerves
To be forgotten in the eternity—
Where there is neither life nor death
Beyond eternity.
And we sensed together incense of rose
In the sweet darkness of embalmed night
And took the wings of poesy
And had the longest flight
Where I and you were only dreamers
Nor any living, nor even singer.
You again muttered, “I am your Moon lovely bright,
Will you me forget ever sprite?”
I then reposed for a moment in brooding
And patched her gently thus asserting:
“I am not the part of this yucky world
Where men always live but love for a moment
I loved you ever and will love you ever
You are my part and part for ever.
Though we live always afar,
You are my moon and I your star.
I have promised to keep it alive
And I will do it till I survive.
If you keep it or don’t you know
I will live with this, and have my bliss!
And I will live with this to make you immortal
Like a melodious song of Nightingale.”
After I paused I saw her sobbing
Sobbing incessantly, dropping her pearls priceless
None was there to behold her grace
I only saw but half her passion
I became numb, and my sense was out
She lost herself and I myself
“Don’t do that”, said I, “O, don’t do that.
I am always yours and yours always be
Seeing like this I die and live
I live and die, don’t you see?”
She broke her silence by “you my star,
I cannot be living by living afar.”
The passionate feeling was never so intense.
She like Goddess embraced me now
And I, her part, had lost myself
With rolling tears in her eyes
She again thought to have her flight
But I said, “No, no, don’t do that.”
She became silent and I her embraced.
Thus she spoke as an elf mysterious:
“For women never forget once any loved
You may desert me but I never will
And will keep my promises till the decay
And even will live without ever you
Bracing your love in my tender heart
I never will but you may desert.
Women know well how to live with the name
But men only know how to live with the fame
I promise and promise and promise again
And will be the same and same I remain.”
This is the light you flung off to me
Which lighted my life with superb glee.
And have my bliss to the core of my heart
To stand out shining my sweet bright star.
I your inspiration always be and you be mine
And I and you and you and I would always shine.”
We came down then soon to the sense
We were now on the real living land
Where we saw the two paralyzed hands.
If they were the hands of the wicked eyed man,
We would have fallen prey to the omen.
God's grace showered!
He always saves the innocent and the weak
Whosoever asks for his bliss.
We turned to rejoice placid sea.
It was now the world at dawn.
We watched the ebbs of the tides
Coming and going, up and down
Like a sporting joyous fawn
Roaring with the pebbles and singing with the foam
Ships on the water dancing on the isles
As if a mermaid offering her prayers
And the another shore!
A blue crystal plate,
Prepared to give up the offerings of grace
Spotted sky as if its flowers
Golden sunbeams being its wreaths
Forged to meet limitless horizon.
Night was over and darkness bygone
We on the shore were souls lone
Scarlet was East and West had Moon.
It seemed to both living souls
That they were uttering divine philosophy
That they were then but frail incarnate
And on the pilgrimage to known infinite
Leaving behind mortal eyes
That all are fast subject to decay.
Drops of dew wailed silently
But we had had the immortal way
That Love is but the celestial ecstasy
Of the two blessed souls
Finding their rest in the Supreme Unknown.
© Written by Manoj Kumar Mishra
