North Indian landscape

COOL hollow vault
clear liquid shadow,
doves softly muttering,
age-clouded plaster,
faded rose, dusty grey stone.

Sun-racked land,
fierce enamel sky
outside trembling:
starved men and cattle
burnt out, worn to the bone.

Only the forgotten
ancient centuries
subtly patterning
discordant lifetimes—
beauty here in the tomb alone.

9 March 1945