SONNETS [30-41]

On The Ochterlony Monument

[Dedicated as usual to G. D. Bysack]

Lo! raised upon this vast aerial height

This realm of air-free uncontrolled I stand:

Behold! beneath me how the grovelling band

Of this poor earth --like emmets whom the sight

Can scarce perceie-are passing sadly by!

But what are they? --poor things of mortal clay!

Thus pomp --thus powr --thus glory flit away

Like the bright meteor glances of the sky

When the black clouds do veil it. Round me now

The boundless sea of air in calm profound

Is sleeping gently --and the silent queen

Of swarth complexioned night pale and serene.

Is rising brightly! how sweetly round

Falls the bright silver light of her calm brow!

(Kidderpore, 1842)

Poem no: 30

Evening In Saturn

[A Sonnet in Blank Verse dedicated to a pigmy]

PREFACE

Reader! who ever publishes a sonnet with a preface? I hear or fancy that I hear you say none! Well! I publish I am an enemy to what men call "custom" But be that as it is I publish my sonnet with a preface; I have to teach the world something new. Don't get offended. Befold! I have written a sonnet in Blankverse. What a rare experiment! Believe me Reader the Muse appeared  not to recent this "breach of etiquette" towards her. O Joy! O Glory! O Happiness! that I have done successfully what none dared do before me! Excuse this short outbreak of impassioned exclamation. I have laid my scene in the planet Saturn, because I despise everything earthly.

A beauteous veil of burning gold did hide.

The Day-god's brow resplendent: and the sky

Like to canvass on its bosom wore

Sweet forms, the pencil of meek Even drew!--

Now many a bird --not kokils --Philomels--

But of diviner kinds --began to sing

So sweet a dirge above the bier of day.

As might have made, ye, sons of this poor earth!

Sigh for a death that is so fondly mourned.

Now from the west rose sis moons hand in hand--

Like a soft band of beauties --blushing --fair--

Oh! how their beams did brighten all the scene;

Their lights fell on the lakes and murmuring rivers,

Like silver mantles:-- Here the Sonnet endeth!

Poem no: 31

Composed During A Morning Walk

I love the beauteous infancy of day,

The garlands that around its temples shine;

I love to hear the tunefull matin lay.

Of the sweet kokil perched upon the pine;

I love to see you streamlet gaily run

And blush like maiden Beauty meek and fair

When the bright beams of you refulgent sun

Crowd on her trembling bosom pure and clear;

I love to see the bee from flow'r to flow'r

Sucking the sweets to him they smiling yield.

I love to hear the breezes in the bower

Singing melodious or along the field;

All these I love and Oh! in these I find

A balm to soothe the fever of my mind!

Poem no: 32

Poem No 29

Poem No 29

Oft like a sad imprisoned bird I sigh

To leave this land though mine own land it be;

Its green robed meadas --gay flowers and cloudless sky

Though passing fair have but few charms for me.

For I have dreamed of climes more bright and free

Where virtue dwells and heaven born liberty

Makes even the lowest happy; --where the eye

Doth sicken not to see man bend the knee

To sordid interest: --climes where science thrives

And genius doth recetve her guerdon meet;

Where man in all his truest glory lives

And Nature's face is exquisitely sweet

For those fair climes I have the impatient sigh,

There let me live and there let me die.

(--Kidderpore, 1842)

Sonnet To Futurity

Sonnet To Futurity

Oh! how my heart doth shrink --while on the sky,

Futurity! I mark the gathering gloom

Nursing the dreadful tempest in its womb--

The tempest rude of woe and misery!

Though Fancy, with her ever -pleasing hue

Lends a sweet charm to thy dim, distant scene--

Yet oh! -When the dark mists that lie between

There and the present --vanish from the view

And sober Reason --like the vivid light,

That bursting from the storm fiend's angry eye,

Paints to the mariner's affrightet sight

The yawining waves --their dreadful revelry--

Divests thee or thy fairy colours bright--

What scenes appaling in thee I desirery!

(19th August 1842)

Poem no: 28

Poem No 24, 25, 26, 27

Poem No 24


Dear Sir
"Lend me your Rollin" --how oft have I said,
Yet you do lend it not: --But you evade
Me, with a silly Banee like reply--
I do not this expect from thee and why?
Because I love respect and honour thee,
And think you are a main of honesty?--
There is a lad-- his name I will not tell,
Who loves me not tho I do love him well--
Unask'd that wanted me this book to lend
But has he done it? --no! --he is a friend
That rather would insult. than honor me--
I am dear sir, your servant M. S. D.
                                                  
                                                   -- kidderpore
                                       The poets' Residence
                                           6th April, 1842



Poem No 25


I thought I shall be able,
(Making thy lap my table)
To write that not with ease:--
But ha! Your shaking
Gave my pen a quaking--
Rudeness ne'er saw I like this--
                                           --Hindu College 


 
Poem No 26


Gour excuse me that in verse
My Muse desireth to rehearse
The Gratitude she oweth thee
I thank you and most heartily
The motion that my friend thou art
Makes me reject the flatter's art
Here is your book--my thanks too here
That as it was and these sincere.
                                                   --Kidderpore

Poem No 27

I

If aught beneath boundless sky

There be no brighten this sad brow

Or make me once forget sigh,

Dear maid! it is must be --thou!

II

Those eyes where fond affection beams

Oft like the moon impart

The softest hues to tinge my dreams

And light my darkened heart:--

III

Yes, I have know and deeply felt

Heart rending grief and woe

Which by the hand of fate and dealt

To all who dwell below

IV

Tho few my years --Yet they have taught,--

Aye sadly taught --that here,

The hours which life's endearments fraught"

Will never more appear!--

V

My childhood look dim as a cloud

Enthroned upon a distant sky.

The mists of by gone years enshroud

The fair scenes that behind my lie.

VI

I look before the dreary scene

Shows visions grim of misery

It tells me, what I have once been,

I never never more can be!

                                                           --Calcutta 5th July, 1842

The Parting

The Parting

I heard the gun, Time's warning tongue

In accents rough, loud and strong

Declare the birth of Day.

I looked around and saw dark night

Retiring at the approach of light

To regions far away:

The night cloud neath Aurora's eye

Were melting in the half lit-sky.

The moon still lingered there,

The tuneful minstrels of the grove

Were chanting sweet their lays of love

To the infant morning fair

I rose but oh! methought my heart

Would break from that loved one to part;

Nor would let me go

The light now entered hold the room,

And drove away the friendly gloom

Nights' remnant sole below

I kissed her; and with many a sigh

And tears descending from her eye

She softly bade me "adieu"!

O with an aching heart and brain

I liik my way thro fields and glen

Besprinkled with the dew.

Poem no: 23

Song Of Ulysses

Song Of Ulysses

Have ye not seen my Penelop

That chaste, that faithful maid?

Have ye not seen my penelope,

That chaste that faithful maid?

Look there, O! that redcheeked one

Whose Winning beauties ne'er fade,

Is my chaste penelope!

As constant as the gentle doves

And faithful too as they

How fondly she returned my love,

When I was far away!

O Penelope! O Penelope! 

My chaste my Faithful maid,

Lo! I shall love nor love thee less

Tho life decay and fade.

My faithful Penelope!

Poem no: 22

Verses-2

Verses-2 

I have a heart, but that is far away

To where enthroned within a palace bright

Sits, fair as the infancy of Day,

Or the sweet Sun when bursting from the Night

He sits upon his Orient purple throne!

There, with devoted heart above alone

The lovely object, who doth to my eyes

Appear the sweetest neath these azure skies!

Poem no: 21

These Verses are written at the request of Gourdass the author's friend but they are not intended to be addressed to any one.