The Bird of Time. Sarojini Naidu

The Dance of Love

      21

       A Love Song from the North

      23

       At Twilight: On the way to Golconda

      25

       Alone

      27

       A Rajput Love Song

      28

       A Persian Love Song

      31

      32

      ​

      The Bird of Time

       Table of Contents

      O Bird of Time on your fruitful bough

       What are the songs you sing? …

       Songs of the glory and gladness of life,

       Of poignant sorrow and passionate strife,

       And the lilting joy of the spring;

       Of hope that sows for the years unborn,

       And faith that dreams of a tarrying morn,

       The fragrant peace of the twilight's breath,

       And the mystic silence that men call death.

       O Bird of Time, say where did you learn

       The changing measures you sing? …

       In blowing forests and breaking tides,

       In the happy laughter of new-made brides,

      ​

      And the nests of the new-born spring;

       In the dawn that thrills to a mother's prayer,

       And the night that shelters a heart's despair,

       In the sigh of pity, the sob of hate,

       And the pride of a soul that has conquered fate.