COME WHEN YOU CAN, MY QUEEN!

 

By A. Janaki Ram

 

THE door of our little hut is ever open;

Come when you can, My Queen!

Take your time to silence

The incantations of the Priests...

 

They try to hold you behind ruby bars;

They try to bind you with golden chains;

They try to enmesh you with cleverly woven Dogma-

But,

You will bend the bars,

Break the chains,

And tear away the mesh

When the time comes,

For your heart’s sake;

Come when you can, My Queen!

 

The tears that we together shed

Shall give you strength;

The smiles that we together smiled

Shall give you Power;

The Hope that we together hoped

Shall give you Will;

Come when you can, My Queen!

 

Take your time, My Queen!

Years of waiting are but a moment in Eternity-

If only you will come!

The path to our little hut is thorny,

The sky in our ancient forest is ever clouded

There will be thunder and lightning

When you come!

 

Be not afraid, My Beloved!

It is only God–guiding you to our Temple!

Near the Basil plant

There will be the marble pitcher

Filled from my streaming eyes,

To wash your feet

When you come!

 

In the niche within

Wrapped in a ketak leaf

There will be scarlet kumkum

Taken from my bleeding heart

For your forehead

When you come!

 

In the recess of the hut

Trembling fingers telling beads-

Syllables of your sacred name-

Wistful eyes ever keeping vigil

Watching the steady flame;

 

Thy coming the only Hope

To succour

The Ascetic: Ascetic turned Lover

For Thy sake, My Queen!

Come when you can!

 

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