The Lonely Lark
The Lonely Lark
Mount, mount thou lonely lark,
Not for thee the lowly air,
Not for thee the earthly bark,
Nor the contending care.
Mount, mount thou winged ace,
Not for thee the dry foliage.
Not for thee the gloomy space,
Nor the bodily cage.
Beyond the narrow haze
Beckons the truthful light;
Above the human maze
Sprouts the ethereal height.
From the wild wilderness
Thou shall draw thy breath;
From the true loneliness
Thou shall gather thy strength.
Warm whispers of the mind
Shall thy eternal food be,
Peace and quietude, shall thou find
In thy immanent lee.
“My wings are weary,” says the lark;
“Sadness invades my breast,
Clouds bedim the truthful spark,
Chilly gales howl from the west.
My heart longs for the hills,
Where my wings lazed at rest;
My heart longs for the rills
Where lies my loving nest.
Can I forget the meadows,
Where sweat the dappled shadows!
Can I forget the lovely plain,
Where drips the morning rain!”
Wake, wake thou lonely lark,
Forsake thy earthly strain,
Forsake thy lowly bark,
Mortal strife is dull and vain
Scan the sphere of divinity,
Where gloomy nights roll away;
Enjoy the bliss of immensity,
Where serene air guides the way.
“The grass withholds my feet,”
Replies the winged ace;
“Bliss lies where humble hearts meet;
It lies not in outer space.
No deed is so bold and kind
As to help the human kind;
No deed is so immortal
As to bring light to others’ life,
To share the human strife.“
Posted on 4 February 2023
Written by Krishnanand Guptar in 1975 at the age of 25.
Features in small collection of poems “Between Earth and Sky”, self-published in 1976.
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a
Premium Membership.
