Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 2. 1938

Letter ID: 2054

Sri Aurobindo — Nirodbaran Talukdar

March 8, 1938

“In my soul’s still moments you bring

A rapture from the vast untrod

Spheres of Light through slumbering

Arches of misty groves...”

Why “misty”? and why is the rapture brought through groves? A woodland promenade? I think both the mist and the groves ought to disappear.

“The scented air your gold locks leave

Haunts like a heavenly piece of art.”

Doesn’t it suggest that she was using a fragrant hair-oil?

Plenty of romanticism and incoherence and outburst, perhaps.

R and I are there in plenty, but O is not in evidence.

Should the word “frost” go?

No, it might be left to freeze.

Is this fellow Hopkins or Hopkensise? Whoever he may be, I am for the new stuff, so I keep your “woven-incense”.

Hopkinsese is the language of Hopkins – quite a famous poet now in spite of your not having heard of him – a fore-runner of present day poetry. He tried to do new things with the English language. A Catholic poet like Francis Thompson.

What’s Bedlamic, please? Never heard of him, I’m sure!

Bedlam is or was the principal lunatic asylum in England. You have never heard the expression “Bedlam let loose” etc.? Bedlamic syntax = rollickingly mad syntax.

Guru,

Dilipda requests me, as you will see, to type this letter [Dilip’s letter written to Sri Aurobindo, from Allahabad], for your facility. I will certainly type it out, if required. Kindly send it in the afternoon. I have helped you here and there – in pencil. Surely the Supramental is a greater decipherer than the inframental, what?

Read – very interesting.