Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 2. 1938

Letter ID: 2053

Sri Aurobindo — Nirodbaran Talukdar

March 7, 1938

[The poem of 6.3.38.] Why, the construction is quite clear; you can take “words” referring to prayer, if you refer “it” to seed, it can be made “word”. What do you say? And words are “heaven-reveried”, of course. Not clear? But “woven-incense words” don’t get me.

Incense-woven words (or word) thy heaven-reveried – has absolutely no coherence, meaning or syntax, in English at least. In German, Sanskrit or Japanese it might perhaps do. The reference of words is quite clear, but that does not save the Bedlamic syntax. “Woven-incense” words is a Hopkinsian compound – that and my alteration of “thy” to “and” gives the line a clear and poetic sense, and it is the best I can do with it. Otherwise the whole will have to be changed. If you dislike Hopkinsese (though your line is ultra-H), you can do it in straightforward English “Words like woven incense heaven-reveried.”

NK’s poem? Please see if you can manage it so that I can write at least that you have seen it, what?

Nishikanta later on. Have done too much for one night.

[Chand’s wire:] “Why silent great struggle protection.” Guru, I don’t know why he says “silent”. I have sent the Darshan blessings on 23rd or 24th which he must have received.

But you have not given him protection.