Behold the dark clouds melt away,
That gathered thick at night and hung
So, like a gloomy pall above the earth!
Before thy magic touch, the world
Awakes. The birds in chorus sing.
The flowers raise their star-like crowns-
Dew set and wave thee welcome fair.
The lakes are opening wide in love
Their hundred thousand lotus eyes
To welcome thee, with all their depth.
All hail to thee, thou Lord of Light!
A welcome new to thee today.
O sun! today thou sheddest
LIBERTY!
Bethink thee how the world did wait
And search for thee, through time and clime.
Some gave up home and love of friends,
And went in quest of thee, self-banished,
Through dreary oceans,
Through primeval forests,
Each step a struggle for their life or death;
Then came the day when work bore fruit,
And worship, love and sacrifice,
Fulfilled, accepted and complete.
Then thou, propitious, rose to shed
The light on freedom on mankind.
Move on, O Lord, on thy restless path!
Till thy high noon o’erspreads the world.
Till every land reflects thy light,
Till men and women, with uplifted head,
Behold their shackles broken,
And
Know in springing joy, their life renewed!

From the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda left his body on the 4th of July,1902. On the 4th of July 1898, he was travelling with some American disciples in Kashmir. As a part of our freedom struggle in India, he wrote this poem – the anniversary of the Declaration of American Independence – to be read at breakfast for educational purposes.

The title of the poem is To The Fourth of July. It is a poem which speaks of independence and liberty for all the nations and people. Even today it inspires us all and creates awareness of the presence of an exalted being.

Aim Hrim Klim

Photo by Ignacio Amenábar on Unsplash