Savitri

Immortal rhythms swayed in her time-born steps; Her look, her smile awoke celestial sense Even in earth-stuff, and their intense delight Poured a supernal beauty on men's lives.

There had she grown to the stature of her spirit: The genius of titanic silences Steeping her soul in its wide loneliness Had shown to her her self's bare reality And mated her with her environment.

On the bare peak where Self is alone with Nought And life has no sense and love no place to stand, She must plead her case upon extinction's verge, In the world's death-cave uphold life's helpless claim And vindicate her right to be and love.

The sacrifice of suffering and desire Earth offers to the immortal Ecstasy Began again beneath the eternal Hand.

Even her humanity was half divine: Her spirit opened to the Spirit in all, Her nature felt all Nature as its own.

A fire has come and touched men's hearts and gone; A few have caught flame and risen to greater life.

And Savitri too awoke among these tribes That hastened to join the brilliant Summoner's chant And, lured by the beauty of the apparent ways, Acclaimed their portion of ephemeral joy.

Ambassadress twixt eternity and change, The omniscient Goddess leaned across the breadths That wrap the fated journeyings of the stars And saw the spaces ready for her feet.

Oft inspiration with her lightning feet, A sudden messenger from the all-seeing tops, Traversed the soundless corridors of his mind Bringing her rhythmic sense of hidden things.