INDIA—ENTERTAINING TWILIGHT

To India’s comely cottage Twilight hied: “Salam, my lass!” resplendent Twilight cried: “A sumptuous fare prepare! ... since noon I tried To come this way ... but ah! the glowing day did stay With thee!... Fresh milk and fried chapatis bring; Do not forget thy hubble-bubble, dear, For lots of dreamy cheer! From out thy hair the withered lily fling; Don fine array, with pearls thy tresses lay, and play Thy vīnā, dance and sing! One stolen hour is mine; that little while With haunting notes of suri-raag beguile ... And let me see thy flaming eyes, as thunder skies So deep and dark, with mystic lightnings bright; With ‘Duhals’ wake what slumbering lies, the past let rise All yesterdays to pageant gay, invite ... Be swift, my sweet! The meat and chutney let us eat ... The hour, my sweet, Is fleet; from night I must retreat! Already muezzin’s mellow call resounds in mango grove; And temple bells, that wake the gods, the hearts to worship move; Come hither, dear!... The moments flee! Salam, my love, Salam!” And India, sun-burnt India, sweetly blushed; “Salam! I’ll hasten!” answered she; and brushed From off her braid the faded lily—crushed By day’s embrace; she sped, with joy, her face a-blaze, To milk the goats, to fry the cakes in ghee; Cabob, pullau, the dates and honey brought And hubble-bubble sought With smiles of Sindian hospitality. With peri-grace she soared about the place, to trace Each thing that added glee To Twilight’s hour ... a rich repast she spread Before her guest, who sliced the mangoes red ’Neath palms, beside the well and stream ... his eyes a-gleam With dusk, he watched where night in forests hid And vexed with prying silver beam his crimson dream, While India, humming low, her braids undid. With rustling sound Unbound, her tresses sought the ground; With silvery sound She wound her pearls in orient found ... Her silk-apparel jasmin-decked, kissed rugs of golden cloth; With henna’d hands she swirled her veil, as frail as wings of moth; Her vīnā struck, with bended knee: “Salam,” she quoth: “Salam!” She shot as lightning up ... then paused and smiled; Then round she spun in trance, as dervish wild; In rainbow hue she flew, with flowers piled; A flame a-whirl, with passion red, each curl a-twirl, As Indra’s temple-dancer, maddening hearts Her lips with kisses scarlet!—Eyes aglow Now moved she sly and slow As Punjab tigress ere for prey she starts ... Then did unfurl a smock as white as pearl ... a girl Of pious Southern parts She turned, gazellean-soft and meek her glance, The rosary and censer graced her dance; A fragrant bud of womanhood, divinely good; But soon her measure ceased ... with rhythmic thrill In Delhi’s wealth arrayed she stood, in soaring mood Then danced again, to show her perfect skill! With flourish bold And gold a-flash, now anklets told, Her footsteps bold Controlled a battle march of old! She forward dashed as amazon of Rajput’s desert side, Her eyes with valour all a-flame, so proudly did she stride: “Wah! Wah!” so Twilight cheered ... and she: “Salam,” replied: “Salam!” Her Jadoo-veil now changed the scene ... and lo! In clouds she danced thro’ Kashmeer’s mountainsnow, Thro’ jungle glooms and tombs of gold below; By Ganges led, where orchards blossoms shed, she sped ’Mid Koels as Gopi, or as Rama’s queen ... With shimmering ivory limbs, and rubied brow As Moghul princess now She sat ’mid slaves on throne of Jasper sheen. Now made her bed on elephant’s broad head, and fled As Jin thro’ plantains green. Then rose as butterfly from out her shawl All poised o’er lucid lakes of Taj Mahal.— The hour had slipped, and night at last approached so fast; And Twilight donned his turban, chilled with fright ... The hookah-stick, he dropped aghast, and India cast Her jewelled slipper at her guardian Night Who gently sailed, And trailed the stars ... but Twilight quailed And westward sailed! All veiled in mists he drooped and paled! Her lacquered cradle India spread for moonlit night to rest, Namaskar made with folded hands! ... half serious, half a-jest, She fibbered: “Twilight hit at thee ... Salam, my best Salam!” Elsa Kazi.