Canto 98Here in the green of the forest

Book 16. Part Seven - Pondicherry Circa 1927 – 1947

Pondicherry, c. 1927–1947

Here in the green of the forest

Here in the green of the forest, lost in the stillness of Nature

Long like lovers together alone with our hearts we had wandered,

5Hands linked, thoughts linked, listening mute to the voices of Silence,

Light of the spaces, sovereign beauty, comrade of rapture.

Golden the tresses that fell on her shoulders, a mantle of sunlight,

Golden the thoughts came cast from her lips like jewels of wonder,

Golden the smile in her heart and her radiant ripple of laughter.

10First in the silence we knew each other; the eyes were the gateways

Opening soul into soul and spirit was bare to the spirit.

Speech only covers the mind and the heart when it strives to reveal

them!

Silence, the wizard interpreter, drew us closer to oneness,

15First in the silence we felt our heart-throbs beating together.

As in the body a man and a woman marry and mingle,

Hearts locked, limbs locked, twisted to one by the serpent of passion,

So our spirits were locked in each other, hurled into oneness,

20Hurtled and hurled on a rapid and violent ocean of rapture.