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SHANTIH SHANTIH SHANTIH, part XVI of The Waste Land cycle

part V of WHAT THE THUNDER SAID


the Ganga was sunken
and the limp leaves
waited for rain
waited for rain

while the black clouds
gathered far distant
over the snow
Himavant below

the jungle crouched silent
then spoke the thunder
then spoke the thunder again
da da da da

Datta: what have we wondered
what have we given
my friend, my blood shaking my heart
what do we live in

the awful daring of a moment's surrender
an age of prudence we can never retract
by this and this only we have existed
the one thing our obits can never subtract

or in the memories draped by good spider
or under seals broken by lean salesman
in our empty rooms where the thunder has spoken
and all of our prophecies ended in failure
da da da da

Dayadhvam: I have heard the key
turn in the door and turning once only
we think of the key, each in his prison
only at nightfall broken and lonely

Coriolanus
Coriolanus
Coriolanus
da da da

Damyata: the boat has responded
to the hand expert go sail and with oar
the sea was so sure your heart would have calmed it
beating obedient to hands and to more

I sat on the shore
with the plain behind me
fishing at least
set my lands in order

London Bridge is falling down
falling down
falling down

then he hid in the refining fire
and asked when
shall I be as the swallow
o swallow o swallow

The Aquitaine prince in the ruined watchtower
these fragments I built up to support my lost power
and now why I'll fit you once more breach my friend
Geronimo mad is mad once again

Datta, Dayadhvam, Damyata
and me
Shantih shantih shantih
you're free.....


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