My Desire

Fate has given me many a gift     To which men most aspire,     Lovely, precious and costly things,     But not my heart's desire.     Many a man has a secret dream     Of where his soul would be,     Mine is a low verandah'd house     In a tope beside the sea.     Over the roof tall palms should wave,     Swaying from side to side,     Every night we should fall asleep     To the rhythm of the tide.     The dawn should be gay with song of birds,     And the stir of fluttering wings.     Surely the joy of life is hid     In simple and tender things!     At eve the waves would shimmer with gold     In the rosy sunset rays,     Emerald velvet flats of rice     Would rest the landward gaze.     A boat must rock at the laterite steps     In a reef-protected pool,     For we should sail through the starlit night     When the winds were calm and cool.     I am so tired of all this world,     Its folly and fret and care.     Find me a little scented home     Amongst thy loosened hair.     Give me a soft and secret place     Against thine amber breast,     Where, hidden away from all mankind,     My soul may come to rest.     Many a man has a secret dream     Of where his life might be;     Mine is a lovely, lonely place     With sunshine and the sea.