Songs of the Soul/Part 1/I Am Here

by Swami Yogananda

Layout 2

 

I AM HERE

I roamed alone by ocean’s shore
And watched: the wrestling, brawling waves did roar
Alive with Thy own restless Life.
Thy angry mood and ripply quiver,
Thy wrathful vastness made me shiver;
I turned away from heated strife.—
A kindly waving tree
Caught my roving eye so free
To comfort me with gentler look sublime
That I did feel was Thine.—
I saw the gaugeless mystic sky,
And down its valley dark I ran to pry
At Thee, and play with Thee;—
I failed to find Thy hiding Body,
Yet I felt everywhere
That Thou wert always near,
Playing at hide and seek with me,—
Receding when I almost touched Thee
As to find Thee I groped blindfold—
In ignorant darkness old.
I left my search in dim despair;
Thou Royal, Sly Eluder!—
In haste I hied away from Thee
And I retired within me:
When lo! some Unseen Hand
Did quickly snatch away the all-black band
That did my eyes enfold
That were so numb and cold,
And in troth I felt quite keen:
Someone beside me stood unseen
And whispered to me, cool and clear,
“Hello, playmate, I am here!”