THE TEMPLE DANCER

Lord of North and South's bright wonder,
Lord of Heaven's pearly skies;
For his love her feet are dancing,
To his heart her spirit flies .......

- - With one sweep of gilded lashes
Clouds she parts to see his face;
With the tremble of her footsteps
Springs the Lotus in her place.
Darksome damsel, Devadasi,
Pure, possessed, and gowned with gold;
Dreaming dancer, jewel-laden,
Silver sounds her feet enfold.
By her rhythm Life is captured,
By her arms all things caressed;
How she with devoted rapture
Folds her hand, and Earth is blessed ......

- - With a breath the winds are scattered,
With a gesture comes the Dawn;
With a glance the Sun is risen,
With a smile the Light is born.
Slowly swaying, swiftly whirling
To the raga's solemn roll;
Lonesome as the music's waver
Meditates her youthful soul.
To the right side and the left side
Stirs all magic Life displays;
In her hand she hides a secret;
Mesmerizes with a gaze.

*

- - Deep in the meaning of every movement
Deeds of the Gods of the sky are spun;
With but a flash of her glinting bangles
Watch how the path of the Moon's begun.
Rapt by the beat of the tinkling anklets,
Wakened to song are the worlds she holds,
Sweetly seduced by exotic language,
Seeking her love as her tale unfolds.
- - Bent to beguile her, the sanguine Demon
Darkness forsakes of his nether deep;
She with the grace of her long bright fingers
Speeds him a dart that is twined with sleep.
Lightly she flings from her silk-sheened sari
Perfume which hangs on the sequinned air;
Incense that swirls in a cloud uplifts her -
Wood of the santal and herbs more rare.

- - Blue on the Firmament falls enchantment,
Green on the Earth where the rain is sown;
Gold on her brow where the sunset lingers,
Black on her hair where the night is blown.
Wide stare her eyes to the snowbright mountains,
Far to the West where the day has died,
Thrilled by the love of the God who calls her,
Drawn to the realm where his steps have hied.
- - Over her eyes, like a sacred ruby,
Sparkles the mark he with fire embossed;
Lured by the voice of his star-strewn kingdoms,
Slender the bridge that her foot has crossed.

Now has she shown his degrees of glory,
Bound by a vow to his marble halls;
Freed is her soul from the heart of Brahma -
Low at his holy command she falls.