PALANQUIN BEARERS

Palanquin Bearers :

Lightly, O lightly we bear her

along,

She sways like a flower in the

wind of our song;

She skims like a bird on the

foam of a stream,

She floats like a laugh from

the lips of a dream.

Gaily, O gaily we glide and we

sing,

We bear her along like a pearl

on a string.

Softly, O softly we bear her

along,

She hangs like a star in the

dew of our song;

She springs like a beam on

the brow of the tide,

She falls like a tear from the

eyes of a bride.

Lightly, O lightly we glide and

we sing,

We bear her along like a pearl

on a string.

By Sarojini Naidu

About The Poet :

Sarojini Naidu was born on

February 13th 1879 in

Hyderabad. She was a

political activist and played an

active role in the freedom

struggle of India. She was the

first Indian woman to

become the president of the

Indian National Congress. In

1947 she became the

governor of the United

Provinces (U.P. ), a position

she retained till her death in

1949. Apart from her political

career she was also an avid

poetry writer. For her

beautiful poetry she has been

lovingly called The Nightingale

of India . Some of her major

contributions are The Golden

Threshold and The Bird of

Time . In 1914 she was elected

as fellow of The Royal Society

of Literature. Her collected

English poems have been

published in The Sceptred

Flute and The Feather at the

Dawn.

Words to Know :

Sway : move from side to

side

Skim : glide smoothly over

something

Foam : mass of small

bubbles, froth

Gaily : merrily, happily

Dew : condensed drops of

water

Beam : ray of light, broad

smile

Brow : forehead, eyebrow

(here : top of water/tide)

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