Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, part 3

201. The God-Hour strikes

```

An unfinished Dream of God

Brought me down.

The God-Hour then struck.

An unending Reality of God

Will take me up.

The God-Hour will once again strike.

```

202. What you did

```

God wanted you

To go to Him untouched.

But what you did,

You know!

You went to God unchanged!

```

203. The stairway of your dreams

```

The stairway of your dreams

Is fascinating you, your entire being.

The soulful ascent of your aspiration-life

Is satisfying God, your Beloved Supreme. ```

204. Two unchanged obsessions

```

Two permanently unchanged obsessions

I see in his nature:

“Why is God so indifferent to me?

Why is man so ungrateful to me?” ```

205. Where, O where, is God?

```

Where, O where, is God?

Is He inside my fondness-hope?

Where, O where, is God?

Is He inside my oneness-scope? ```

206. Our creations will crumble

```

Your creation will crumble

Because it is weak.

His creation will crumble

Because it is impure.

My creation will crumble

Because it is uncertain.

But God’s creation will forever last

Because it is sleeplessly self-giving. ```

207. God just gives and gives

```

God just gives and gives.

He does not take.

He does not even know

The clever art of lending,

Which we learn

At the very dawn

Of our earth-sojourn.

```

208. Our faith-life only

```

Our faith-life only is secure;

Everything else is insecure.

Our oneness-heart only is perfect;

Everything else is imperfect. ```

209. Yet I shall go on

```

Mine are shattered dreams.

Yet

I shall go on.

Mine is a punctured heart.

Yet

I shall carry on.

```

210. The boon

```

Scold me, my Lord, untiringly.

Insult me, my Lord, unreservedly.

But, my Lord, do not forget Your Boon.

You told me millions of years ago

That You would grant me the capacity

To love You sleeplessly.

Something more, unconditionally.

```

211. A devoted member of God's Society

```

If you want to be a devoted member

Of God’s Society,

Then immediately reject what you are not:

Venom-doubt,

And soulfully accept what you are:

God’s choice instrument. ```

212. Two observers

```

God watched me from the sky

With His unchanging Compassion.

I watched God from the ground

With my increasing hesitation. ```

213. The most ancient story

```

Temptation grips man,

Compassion grips God:

This is God’s and man’s

Absolutely most

Ancient story.

```

214. Two hopes

```

Two hopes are constantly singing

Inside my throbbing heart:

I shall one day start loving

My Lord Supreme unconditionally;

My Lord Supreme will secretly tell me

That He has forgiven me everlastingly. ```

215. Let hope once more refresh you

```

Let hope once more

Refresh you.

Let faith once more

Guide you.

Let surrender once more

Fulfil you. ```

216. Inside there should be

```

Inside my talking

There should be some light.

Inside my light

There should be some delight.

Inside my delight

There should be some God-Satisfaction. ```

217. Our different ways

```

Yours

Is the inimitable way.

Mine

Is the imponderable way.

God’s

Is the inseparable way. ```

218. An aspiration-life means

```

An aspiration-life means

An unmeasured and treasured scope.

A desire-life means

A binding and strangling rope. ```

219. A determination-stride

```

They call it

A determination-stride.

I call it

A great ignorance-challenging friend. ```

220. All your dangers

```

Your fear of truth

Is your own danger.

Your love of ignorance

Is your own danger.

Your constant oneness with your little “I”

Is your own danger.

How can you come out of all your dangers?

Just say soulfully once:

“God still loves me.”

```

221. Are You tired, O Lord?

```

Are You, O Lord,

Tired of being good?

It seems You are.

Are You, O Lord,

Tired of being divine?

It seems You are.

Are You, O Lord,

Tired of being perfect?

It seems You are.

O my Lord Supreme, then do bless me

With Your Goodness-Heart,

Divinity-Life

And Perfection-Role. ```

222. How far can you go?

```

How far can you go with death?

Not very far!

How far can you go with life?

Not very far!

How far can you go with God’s Vision-Eye

And His Compassion-Heart?

You can go to Eternity’s

Birthless and deathless Shore. ```

223. Her determined speed

```

Her determined speed

Is her eternal journey’s soul.

Her adamantine will

Gives her the immortal Victory’s Goal. ```

224. Three Heaven-bound passengers

```

Three Heaven-bound passengers to escort us:

Her sincerity-life,

Her purity-heart

And

Her divinity-soul.

```

225. A mystic gulf

```

A mystic gulf

Between God and man.

Again,

A mystic union

Between God’s Compassion-Feet

And

Man’s imperfection-head.

```

226. I know you will wait for me

```

O my Lord Supreme,

I know You will wait for me

No matter how long I delay in offering

My timidity-heart,

My futility-mind,

My stupidity-life. ```

227. Although he barks and barks

```

Although he barks and barks,

His sweetness still is extremely sweet

In his heart.

Although he ruthlessly insults,

His oneness still is completely one

Within and without.

```

228. What can I expect?

```

Yesterday my life began in darkness.

What can I expect

From my darkness-life?

Tomorrow my life shall begin

With God-oneness-life.

Everything of everything

I can soulfully expect

From my God-oneness-life.

```

229. Soulful happiness is my escort

```

Soulful happiness is my escort.

Therefore

I shall go very far.

Fruitful oneness is my escort.

Therefore

I am reaching my Perfection-Goal.

```

230. Fulfilling faith will rule

```

Teeming doubts

Cannot rule for long.

Shattering fears

Cannot rule for long.

Fulfilling faith

Can and will rule

Not only for long,

But forever and forever. ```

231. O my failure-fountain

```

O my failure-fountain,

Although I do not love you,

I do not hate you either.

O my victory-fountain,

Although you have granted me

A vast range of victory-mountains,

I can’t love you unreservedly,

For my satisfaction-sun

Is still a far cry. ```

232. I hear no more

```

My Lord Supreme

Has stopped my ears.

I hear no more

The world’s wild destruction-rumours.

My Lord Supreme

Has closed my eyes.

I see no more

The world’s deathless ignorance-night. ```

233. To perfect me in his own image

```

To terrify my earth-roots,

Ignorance-dragon has ruthlessly appeared.

To save me, to perfect me

In His own Image,

My Compassion-Lord

With His infinite Bounty

Has breathlessly appeared.

```

234. An honest unbeliever

```

You are

An honest unbeliever.

I appreciate your honesty.

You are

An honest ignorance-supporter.

I admire your unshaking conviction.

But someday, somehow

You will bless us all

With a totally different story.

```

235. No longer necessary

```

Despair, no longer necessary.

Hope-moon is blossoming.

Hope-moon, no longer necessary.

Promise-sun is dawning.

Promise-sun, no longer necessary.

My victory-smile

God has already granted.

```

236. Ego feeds on attention1

```

Ego feeds on attention.

The perfection of our precarious

Animal-human nature

Feeds on God’s Compassion-Sea.

```

FF 236-261. These twenty-five poems were written on 27 October 1979 en route from Hong Kong to Bangkok.↩

237. O my raindrops of hope

```

O my raindrops of hope,

This time do bring down with you

Your reality-rays

To satisfy my heart’s

Sleepless hunger.

```

238. My need

```

My need is prayer,

A tender prayer.

My need is meditation,

A short meditation.

My need is perfection,

An iota of perfection. ```

239. Kindness is not blindness

```

Kindness is not blindness.

Kindness is oneness-awareness.

Blindness is failure:

Failure within, failure without. ```

240. Love mankind here

```

Love mankind here,

Soulfully and sleeplessly.

The reward you will get elsewhere,

Unmistakably plus infinitely. ```

241. What is silence?

```

What is silence?

God’s natural Beauty.

What is silence?

Man’s hard-earned perfection. ```

242. A tower of fortitude

```

A tower of fortitude,

How to become?

Not by challenging,

Not by fighting,

But by becoming one

With God’s illumining and fulfilling Will. ```

243. An impossible task

```

A spiritually established life

Is not an easy task,

But

A materially satisfied life

Is an impossible task.

```

244. Soon they will be over

```

My confusion-mind,

My hesitation-heart,

My imperfection-life

Will soon be over and done with. ```

245. Pride does not confess

```

Insecurity confesses,

Impurity confesses,

Jealousy confesses.

But pride finds it almost impossible

To confess anything, anywhere.

```

246. God's timeless Dream

```

God’s timeless Dream:

Man’s total perfection.

Man’s endless reality:

His biting frustration. ```

247. Beauty without vanity

```

In the vital world,

Body-beauty without vanity

Is almost an impossible reality.

In the psychic world,

Soul-beauty without vanity

Is a natural and inevitable fact.

```

248. My conscience

```

My accusing conscience,

I love you because you care for me,

My perfection.

My illumining conscience,

I love you because you care

For the supreme satisfaction

Of my Beloved Supreme

Within me.

```

249. I see a smile

```

In the physical world

I see a cancerous smile.

In the vital world

I see a dangerous smile.

In the mental world

I see an ungenerous smile.

In the psychic world

I see a precious smile. ```

250. I study alternatives

```

I study alternatives.

It is in the mind’s alternatives

That I get peace of mind.

It is in the heart’s alternatives

That I get abiding satisfaction.

The mind’s alternatives:

A doubtful night or a faithful day.

The heart’s alternatives:

A noiseful division or a soulful oneness. ```

251. Since nobody wants to play

```

Since nobody wants

To play with me,

I play with my shadow.

Since nobody wants

To sing with me,

I sing with my failure.

```

252. O silver flames

```

O silver flames of my mind,

I love you.

Do awaken my life!

O golden flames of my heart,

Do expedite

My Heaven-bound journey!

```

253. No parallel

```

The kind earth

Has no parallel.

The indifferent Heaven

Has no parallel.

The unchanging life

Has no parallel.

The forgiving God

Has no parallel. ```

254. Disturb not the world

```

Disturb not the world.

It is very busy.

Torture not the world.

It is very weak.

Change not the world.

It is very stubborn. ```

255. A fatal experience

```

Life has no permanence.

Indeed, this is a sad experience.

God has no assurance.

Indeed, this is a fatal experience. ```

256. Even my shadow avoids me

```

Even my shadow avoids me.

Even my body dislikes me.

Even my life disappoints me.

Even my God forgets me. ```

257. Obedience

```

Obedience is immediate death

When you obey the lesser gods.

Obedience is perfect perfection

When you obey the real God. ```

258. Ecstasy's unplumbed skies

```

If you have an aspiration-flight,

In the long run

You are bound to reach

Ecstasy’s unplumbed skies. ```

259. This defective life

```

This defective life

Is really defective,

Yet

This creative heart

Is soulfully creative.

```

260. You are not a man

```

You are not a man

Although you look like one.

Your very presence

Is nothing short of a nightmare.

Upon seeing you,

My whole world shall die

Before it hopes to dare.

```

261. Beyond the reach2

```

Lord Supreme,

You were then

Beyond the reach of my voice.

You are now

Beyond the reach of my silence.

Lord, my Lord Supreme,

This is more than enough.

Please, please, never be

Beyond the reach of my choice,

For that will totally smash my heart

To pieces.

```

FF 261-285. These twenty-five poems were written on 27 October 1979 en route to Calcutta from Bangkok.↩

262. The shortness of the day

```

Many years ago

The shortness of the day

Disappointed my desire-life.

Alas, after so many years

The same shortness of the day

Is disappointing my aspiration-life. ```

263. He has planted his footsteps

```

He has planted his footsteps

Inside my love-heart,

Inside my gratitude-life,

Inside my surrender-perfection. ```

264. Sweet thoughts

```

Sweet thoughts live

In my dream.

Sweet ideas live

In my reality.

Sweet ideals live

In my divinity. ```

265. Together they have returned

```

Greed and frustration

Together have returned.

Efforts and failures

Together have returned.

Aspiration-life and desire-knife

Together have returned. ```

266. A little more time

```

O my imprisoned aspiration-flames,

I shall set you free.

Do give me a little more time.

I shall unmistakably

And

Permanently

Set you free.

```

267. A very, very long time

```

It has taken God

A very, very long time.

Never mind!

He has finally done it.

He has banished His wild,

Unbearable and impossibly cynical children

From the snow-pure, white heart

Of the world. ```

268. Perpetual benedictions

```

Your Smile-Flames, my Lord,

Are perpetual benedictions.

Your Frown-Fires, my Lord,

Are perpetual benedictions, too. ```

269. Who betrays whom?

```

Nature never betrays

Any man.

The soul never betrays

Any man either.

Who then betrays whom?

Man the ingratitude betrays

God the Compassion.

```

270. Whips of God

```

Whips of time

I deserve not,

Yet I am always whipped.

Whips of God

I unmistakably deserve,

Yet I am never whipped.

```

271. Two monumental mockeries

```

Two monumental mockeries:

You will realise God

Before me.

God will have you

As His chosen instrument,

And not me. ```

272. They show me

```

My cheerful faith

Shows me my Lord’s Crown.

My soulful love

Shows me my Lord’s Throne.

My fruitful surrender

Shows me God Himself. ```

273. Like the sleeping flowers

```

Like the sleeping flowers

Of the silence-evening,

My snow-heart shall rest

In the ever-blossoming Dawn. ```

274. Guardian of my heart

```

My fruitful realisation

Is the guardian of my heart.

My soulful heart

Is the guardian of my life. ```

275. Human life is really something

```

Who says that human life is nothing?

I say that human life

Is infinitely more than something.

It is, indeed, nothing short of

Monster-ingratitude.

```

276. What a downfall!

```

There was a time

When I prayed to God

For Eternity’s sunrise.

Now I am praying to God

Only for a fleeting flame.

Alas, alas,

What a downfall!

```

277. O beautiful meditation

```

O beautiful meditation,

You are great.

O prayerful meditation,

You are good.

O soulful meditation,

You are perfect. ```

278. A sweet silence-thought

```

A sweet silence-thought

Purifies my venom-mind.

A pure silence-soul

Expedites my Godward journey. ```

279. Make the right choice!

```

Yours is the faith

That can shatter mountain-obstructions.

Again,

Yours is the doubt

That can empty the ocean-vast Love of God.

Be wise —

Make the right choice!

```

280. A willing God

```

A willing God

Is merciful.

A willing soul

Is helpful.

A willing heart

Is soulful.

A willing life

Is fruitful. ```

281. You are all right

```

Your aspiration-life

Has been censured by my vision-eye.

But you are all right.

You will reach your goal,

For sincerity has unreservedly

Befriended you. ```

282. A sweet disorder

```

A sweet disorder

I see on your childlike face.

A sweet uncomeliness

I see inside your childlike heart. ```

283. Devouring time

```

Devouring time,

I shall, without fail, ignore you.

Illumining time,

I shall, without fail, need you.

Fulfilling time,

I shall, without fail, please you. ```

284. Do not give up

```

True,

Your will is overruled by fate.

But I assure you,

God’s golden Gate will always

Remain open for you.

Therefore,

Do not give up.

Never! ```

285. The same old God

```

O my long, fruitless stay on earth,

What can I do?

You are helpless,

I am hopeless.

And the one who alone can help us,

I mean God, the same old God,

Is deliberately heedless.

```

286. The midnight dream3

```

The midnight dream

Gives a blue boat.

The morning dream

Looks for it desperately

Inside the abysmal depth

Of ignorance-river.

```

FF 286-300. These twenty poems were written at the Calcutta Airport Hotel, Calcutta, on 27 October 1979.↩

287. Idle hopes

```

Idle hopes fly away,

Idle ideas die away,

Idle body sleeps and sleeps,

Idle life nothing sows,

Nothing reaps.

```

288. Beauty

```

Tenderness lives with beauty.

Kindness lives in beauty.

Soulfulness houses beauty.

Oneness feeds beauty. ```

289. Duty

```

Each thing is full of duty.

What is duty?

God’s unveiled Reality

And man’s unprecedented opportunity

In disguise.

```

290. How to kill desire

```

How to kill desire?

Just by reviving

Your aspiration-flames

And by awakening

Your sleeping heart.

```

291. Confidence of reason

```

Confidence of reason

Is a flickering flame.

Confidence of faith

Is an ever-illumining dawn. ```

292. Do dissolve me

```

O Lord Supreme,

Do dissolve me

Into Your Infinity’s ecstasy.

O Lord Supreme,

Do dissolve me

Into Your Eternity’s nothingness.

```

293. The smile that conquers

```

The smile that conquers many lives

I have in the outer world.

The cry that conquers many hearts

I have in the inner world.

The surrender that conquers

God the Creator and God the creation

I have in my soul’s world.

```

294. When God first created man

```

When God first created man

He knew that it was not a joke.

Such being the case,

His Compassion-Presence let us invoke. ```

295. Let it all end

```

If I am destined to do

Something for You, my Lord,

Let my sorrows have an end.

If You really care for me, my Lord,

Even for a fleeting second,

Let Your indifference come to an end.

```

296. In the ancient Heaven

```

In the ancient Heaven,

Compassion-song

Was supremely sung.

In the modern Heaven,

Frustration-song

Is perfectly sung.

```

297. A white Heaven-born thought

```

A white Heaven-born thought

Awakens my heart.

A green earth-born thought

Energises my life. ```

298. Mistaking earth for Heaven

```

Mistaking earth for Heaven,

He sighed.

Mistaking Heaven for earth,

He died. ```

299. When the outer world deserts him

```

When the outer world

Deserts him ruthlessly,

He suffers sleeplessly.

Finally he withdraws

Into his soul’s delight-chamber.

```

300. A serious matter

```

Dear Heaven,

I need your kind advice

In a serious matter.

Dear Earth,

I need your practical help

In a serious matter.

Dear God,

I need Your immediate Forgiveness

In a serious matter.

```

Editor's introduction to the first edition

This is the third volume in a series of ten thousand “flaming flower-poems” which Sri Chinmoy is placing devotedly, unreservedly and unconditionally at the Compassion-Feet of God, our Beloved Supreme. They stand as a supreme offering from the unfolding beauty of his flower-heart and the flaming heights of his realisation-sun. Indeed, a treasure-tower which will at once be claimed by humanity’s self-ascending cry and Divinity’s God-descending Smile.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, part 3, Agni Press, 1979
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/ff_3