Works of Sri Aurobindo

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-96_Metrical Experiments.htm

VII

METRICAL EXPERIMENTS

 

 

Winged with dangerous deity,
Passion swift and implacable
Arose and, storm-footed
In the dim heart of him,

Ran, insatiate, conquering,
Worlds devouring and hearts of men,
Then perished, broken by
The irresistible

Occult masters of destiny,-
They who sit in the secrecy
And watch unmoved ever
Unto the end of all.

Metrical Scheme:

¯ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ |
¯ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ |
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Outspread a Wave burst, a Force leaped from the Unknown,
Vague, wide, some veiled Maker, masked Lighter of the Fire:
        With dire blows the Smith of the World
        Forged strength from hearts of the weak;
        Earth’s hate the edge of the axe,
        Smitten by the gods,
Hewn, felled, the Form crashed that touched heaven and its stars.

Metrical Scheme:



¯ ¯ ˘ | ¯ ¯ ˘ | ¯ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ˘ ¯ |
¯ ¯ ˘ | ¯ ¯ ˘ | ¯ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ˘ ¯ |
˘ ¯ ¯ ˘
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Page-613


In a flaming as of spaces
Curved like spires
An epiphany of faces,
Long curled fires,
The illumined and tremendous
Masque drew near,
A god-pageant of the aeons
Vast, deep-hued,
And the thunder of its paeans,
Wide-winged, nude
In their harmony stupendous,
Smote earth’s ear.

Metrical Scheme;


˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ |
¯ ¯ ¯ |

0 life, thy breath is but a cry to the Light
Immortal, out of which has sprung thy delight,
Thy grasp.
All things in vain thy hands seize;
Earth’s music fails; the notes cease
Or rasp.
Aloud thou call’st to blind Fate,
"Remove the bar, the gold gate
Unhasp."
But never yet hast thou the goal of thy race
Attained, nor thrilled to the ineffable Face
And clasp.

Metrical Scheme;


˘ ¯ | ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ | ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ |
˘ ¯ | ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ | ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ ¯ |

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¯ ¯ | ˘ ¯ | ˘ ¯ ¯ |
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Page-614


To the hill-tops of silence from over the infinite sea,
            Golden he came,
            Armed with the flame,
Looked on the world that his greatness and passion must free.

Oh, but fair was her face as she lolled in her green-tinted robe,
            Emerald trees,
            Sapphire seas,
Sun-ring and moon-ring that glittered and hung in each lobe.

Metrical Scheme:

˘ ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ |
¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ |
¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ |
¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ |

 

In the ending of time, in the sinking of space
What shall survive?
Hearts once alive,
Beauty and charm of a face?
Nay, these shall be safe in the breast of the One,
Man deified,
World-spirits wide,
Nothing ends, all but began.

Metrical Scheme:


˘ ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ | ˘ ˘ ¯ |
¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ |
¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ |
¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ |

Page-615


On the grey street, on the lagging winding waters
One sees far off stealing away to meet the rich drooping purple of the sky,
A stillness falls; a supernatural silence
Lies on the lap of Nature.

The street is man’s life, and the waters, earth’s sky-dowry,
And this rich span’s unreal splendour, symbol hue, sign of sight of the Unseen.
Man’s life lies mute, the waters run to the splendour,
The Unseen is this mighty Silence.

Metrical Scheme:

˘ ˘ | ¯ ¯ || ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘| ¯ ˘| ¯ ˘|
˘ ¯ | ¯ ¯ || ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘| ¯ ˘| ¯ ¯ ˘| ¯ ˘ ˘ | ˘ ¯ |
˘ ¯ | ˘ ¯ || ˘ ¯ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘|
¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘| ¯ ˘|
˘ ¯ ˘ | ¯ ¯ || ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘| ¯ ¯| ¯ ˘|
˘ ˘ | ¯ ¯ | ˘ ¯ ˘ | ¯ ˘| ¯ ˘| ¯ ¯ ˘| ¯ ˘ ˘ | ˘ ¯ |
¯ ¯ | ¯ ¯ || ˘ ¯ ˘ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ¯ ˘|

In some faint dawn,
In some dim eve,
Like a gesture of Light,
Like a dream of delight
Thou comst nearer and nearer to me.

Metrical Scheme:


˘ ˘ | ¯ ¯ |
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