Naught do I see but Thee

Alone, alone at the early dawn

In Springtime with its blossoms wan

Thy glory do I gaze upon,

And naught do I see but Thee.

Alone, alone 'neath the shady trees

Midst Summers warmth I feel thy breeze,

Alas' I fall upon my knees,

And naught I see but Thee.

Alone, alone, thro' the fallen leaves

That Autumn scatters and interweaves

I trod the path, sweet memory grieves,

And naught I see but Thee.

Alone, alone in the pure white snow

As the wintry winds around me blow

Firmly I stand, yet seeking to know,

And naught I see but Thee.

This Wee Book

Each thought and word and line and verse,

This wee book doth contain,

Burst from this bleeding heart, I nurse,

In lonliness and pain.

Midst the blood gushing forth, I heard

Thou sayeth, take the pen,

And my hand, Thou guideth onward,

To the end, Lord, Amen.

The Gayan

O Gayan, Thou my treasured gem,

I bow to Thy command,

Thou art the highest apothegm,

E'er found on sea or land.

Thou, inspiration, dost bestow,

And deep, Thy melody,

A haunting sweetness dost Thou show,

With Thy pathetic plea.

The Vadan

O Vadan, Thou art my favorite,

A message sent from above,

I carry Thee as an amulet,

Brought by the heavenly dove.

I lay Thee gently on the altar,

My worship, to Thee, bequeathe,

Yea, I take Thee to my sepulchre,

Forever, Thy word, I breathe.

The Mysticism of Sound

The Mysticism of Sound

Is a study most profound;

In it's depth the Truth is found,

O ye Seekers.

Tarry not in idle play

But prepare ye for the day

Whence departeth soul from clay,

O ye Seekers.

Soar then upward to that Light,

All pervading, ever bright

Purified, in love, unite,

O ye Seekers.

Bowl of Saki

O Bowl of Saki blest thou art,

A treasure from the divine,

Each day thou bringest to my heart

A token of love's pure wine.

From thee, I learn humility,

Selfless love and sacrifice,

And Lo! Thou givest me the key

To the gates of paradise.

Graduation Day

Noor-un-nisa, your Father's pride,

Modes, gentle and qualified,

Graceful in manner, fair of face,

Worthiest daughter by Allah's grace,

Deep in thoughts and wise in speech.

Little comrades in school, you teach,

Today, first prize do you receive,

In music, highest to achieve,

'Tis He, who sent it from above,

To His child with His deepest love.

Amma

July 28th, 1927

Age 13 years

Abba's Children

Hark! I hear my Beloved's call,

'Tis piercing thro' my ears,

Take me up to Thy land of all,

From life's long grieving years.

Precious Rubies born of our love,

Weep not; sorrow is past,

Allah is with us both above

Happy we are at last.

All parents must depart one day,

Children, your lives begin,

Love your mates, be happy and gay,

Your Father's 'Message' reign.

Friends

O loving friends judge not my solitude,

Nor my silence ye not miscomprehend,

Forever are my living thoughts bestrewed,

Upon ye all with gratitude distend.

But hark! my pain, no remedy amends,

This little spark of life to 'Him' hath flown,

Then what is left of me to greet my friends?

Naught but deadened skin and withered bone.

Forevermore in spirit shall I dwell,

Amongst ye all, my loving friends of yore,

But body, heart and soul doth bid farewell,

Offering ye, these precious rubies four.

O Lord of Justice

O Lord of Justice, these frail lips with iron, seal,

Pray let me not speak, Nay let me not reveal,

Lest the fury of the Gods burst in a hurricane,

That lifteth me up from this earthly blame and gain.

Harken

Harken! O Angels of Heaven,

I beg ye each and all

Come hither with trumpets laden,

To help me in my call.

With challenging force together,

Blow ye all trumpets yon,

Call Him with sounds that mightier

N'er was in time agone!

Oft' Times

Oft' times methinks it cannot be

That Thou shalt n'er return,

With heavy heart I wait for Thee,

And watch and pray and yearn.

If Thou shouldst come from the dead,

And Lo! thy form I meet,

N'er could I raise mine aching head,

From off Thy blessed feet.

Before this Frame is Fallen

Before this frame is fallen

Wilt Thou give it strength to stand,

To carry duty's burden

Lord, that is Thine own command.

Before this heart is bleeding,

Wilt Thou nurse it with Thy love

Untill the hour Thou chooseth

Lord, to call me there above.

At the Close of the Day

At the close of the day

When life's toil fades away

And all so peacefully sleep,

No rest do I find

Since Thou left me behind

'Till Death around me doth creep.

Bitter nights of despair

Hath made fragrant the air,

And Teardrops turned into dew,

I watch and I wait

Till Thou doth open the gate

And Thy love leadeth me thro'.

O Shining Sun

O Shining Sun of heaven and earth,

Spread forth Thy brilliant rays,

In Thy home, there is no more mirth,

Gone are the happy days.

Help me to climb up the golden stairs,

To the height Thou mayst soar,

Wiping away all sorrows and cares,

To kiss Thy feet once more.

Mightier than Breakers

Mightier than breakers of a stormy sea,

Dashing on the rocks 'till apieces be,

Why then cannot this, mine anguish for Thee

Break open these walls hiding Thee from me?

Little Birds

Come! little birds at any widow

And feed from out my hand,

Mine envy oft' to you doth go.

Soaring o'er sea and land.

No pain to bear, nor care, nor woe

No chain to bind you tight,

Flying cheerfully to and fro,

In happy, playful flight.

But then again methinks it less

Than happiness I gain,

While this poor heart is in distress,

Wrapped in grief and pain.

When Thou wert near

What need had I for the light of the day,

Or the moon in the night to lead the way,

O Beloved when Thou wert near?

What need had I for the summer's warmth,

Or the cooling breezes swaying forth,

O Beloved, when Thou wert near?

What need had I for a bright sunny morn,

Or the shining stars, the dark sky adorn,

O Beloved when Thou wert near.

What need had I for the showers of rain,

The fruits and the flower's Thou didst sustain

O Beloved when Thou wert near.

O' Beloved

O' Beloved, I shudder and I shrink,

Dare I to speak, ah! dare I once to think

Of e'er again that only longed for bliss,

To fall upon the dust, Thy feet to kiss.

Dare I to weep, my tears would form a sea,

And in that sea, I'd drown in ecstasy,

O' Beloved, dare I to ask to die,

This soul released, instantly to Thee would'st fly.

Guiding Star

Guiding Star of my life,

Where art Thou soaring?

Far from Thy earthly strife,

Thro' Heavens alluring!

How came Thee to depart

From Sharda, Thy love,

Didst Thou not know her heart,

O Heavenly Dove?

Come, hear her soul weeping,

For Thou who hast fled,

In despair she is seeking

Her grave with the dead.

O' Beloved

O Beloved is my love so weak,

That it bringeth me not to Thee,

Then let me weep more and more each day,

Till by weeping, it strengthened be.

But then if it's strength be still too less,

And the fountain of tears run dry,

Tears of blood, let me weep, yea untill,

By weeping for Thee, I may die.

Answer to poem of 1921

The honour of my virtues,

My heart and my soul,

The tolerance of my faults,

My 'Daya', my Goal.

Answer to poem of 1922

Day by day and night by night

Every thing I see,

I feel Thy presence in it 

And I think of Thee.

In every thing I may do,

Thy love guideth me,

When Thy gentle voice I hear,

I'm in ecstasy.

While the Holy Deity

Watcheth over all,

Eagerly I wait to hear

Thy whispering call.

Answer to poem of 1923

The highest inspiration,

Beloved so true,

The only consolation,

My 'Daya', are you

If e'er there is a pleasure

Searched the world thro'

If e'er there is a treasure,

My 'Daya', 'tis you.

And now that life be over,

Naught care I to do,

but fly from earthly cover,

My 'Daya', to you.

Answer to poem of 1926

O, purest heart e'er born,

Selfless and blameless,

May Allah's crown adorn

Thy head, most gracious.

Yes, we have suffered much,

but with love's sweet joy,

And soon with Allah's clutch,

All grief we'll destroy.

Life's difficult pilgrimage

Was play, with Thou near,

But now, strength and courage,

From me, disappear.