I, Vivekananda

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I, Vivekananda

A Poem

Swami Vivekananda

On a bare peak of snow-white heaven,
Sat a dire divinity, swift and terrible,
Saw the soul of a prone Nation,
By barbarity besieged and hearts bound,

Her million souled body ravaged
Inevitably some old debt to pay,
To implacable gods tired of perfect worship.
Broke her spirit and marred her muse,

For base ends commissioned her peoples,
The crass ideal and mundane inanities
Rose from lips and hearts that once channeled,
Poetic speech and words that bore force,

Of godward might that illumined Night. 
Then the White-Force, by Ganges worshipped perennially,
Stood, with his sky-spanning bow released,
A radiant scout sourced from his blazing mind.

Swift it flew into heart of the prone Nation,
A sweet tremor reverberated of might
Remembered in thoughts of fallen dreams.
Once more the old nation stirred in all hearts,

The godly rebels brewed revolution’s cry
And battle-arms flexed their muscle memory.
To such scenes flew in that Lion-Force,
Bearing the mighty flames of Vedanta,

The secret knowledge that simply sat,
On a diamond throne beside that formidable God. 
Here was the son long awaited,
Strong of heart and a stronger mind,

Puissant souled, impatient of weakness and error.
With fire for speech he burnt darkness,
Turned to ash the drab ignorance,
And draped nation-mother in new attire,

Of beauteous silk and diamond shield,
A battle-armed beauty of old, radiant,
Silver-haloed, her warrior broods beside.
He said, “O Bharathi, Ancient-Mother, ever beauteous,

“I come with the first dawns and night
Flees from thy feet and clouds scatter.
I seed men with a key and light,
To unlock thy chains and treasures ancient.

“Am but the forerunner, the first salvo,
Greater forces follow my lightning trail.
A Golden-Sun wearing a human guise,
Shall tread these thy hallowed lands,

“Veda, the Knowledge, shall sound once more,
Break the spell of weakness in all minds
And build a radiant harbour for arriving mights.
He shall restore thy greatness, thy splendour,

“The ancient aspirations shall all stand fulfilled. 
These deeds to thee and Him I submit, O Mother,
I, Vivekananda, shall now depart, until Thou bid me again.”