
This volume gathers the haunting verses of a poet who spent her adult life amid the colors and contradictions of colonial India. Written under a pen name, the poems weave personal grief with the timeless rhythms of the subcontinent, offering a rare glimpse into a world where love, loss, and spirituality intersect. The opening pieces invoke a restless devotion to a distant beloved, juxtaposing the weight of ancient gods with intimate, aching confession.
In vivid scenes the listener walks through poppy‑strewn fields, hears temple bells, and feels the desert heat as a lone narrator rests by a tamarind tank. Birds, peacocks, and carved stone figures become symbols of desire and fleeting beauty, while the language shifts from plaintive prayer to passionate declaration. The collection balances sensual imagery with a quiet awareness of mortality, inviting each line to linger like a whispered secret.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (132K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Gordon Keener, and David Widger
Release date
2005-05-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1865–1904
Best known for the sensual, melancholy poems she published as Laurence Hope, this English writer turned her experiences of colonial India into verse that captivated late-Victorian readers. Her work blends romance, longing, and a strong sense of place.
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