THE ARTIST DIVINE

 

Poetry is speaking painting and painting is

mute poetry: Symphony is invisible sculpture

and sculpture is frozen music.

 

All arts affirm that thou art,

thou art the spring of all arts

thou art the whole of all these parts

All music is your ringing laughter

All colours a suffusion of your light.

 

Thou immaculate beam illumining this multi-coloured dome!

What unseen brush has touched this rose that blushes like a bashful bride?

What magic colours flash upon the scattered clouds at sunset?

What wondrous play of light and shade over these dancing waves ablaze?

 

What velvet green mantle wraps this naked earth?

O poet invisible: What cosmic epic do you

weave out of these rosy smiles and burning tears?

O artist divine! What ravishing patterns of light and shade

do you design to deck this rolling screen of Time?

 

O Master!

Amid this maddening din and clamour

You are my silent sanctuary!

In this oppressive silence you are

my resonant symphony!

You have come down to proclaim the divinity

of humanity and the humanity of divinity

and their ineffable unity!

 

Though close to me as the meadow flower

you are the remote resplendent star!

Though far off you are in every breath, a

perennial fountain of light and delight

You are the Master of all but the servant of love

You are the dream come true and the truth

that ever remains a dream

You are the perfect formless pearl in

this ocean of name and form

You are the distant home beckoning these

daring sails gliding on the perilous waves!

–AMARENDRA

 

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