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.