Street Cries Poem by Sarojini Naidu

Street Cries

Rating: 3.4


WHEN dawn's first cymbals beat upon the sky,
Rousing the world to labour's various cry,
To tend the flock, to bind the mellowing grain,
From ardent toil to forge a little gain,
And fasting men go forth on hurrying feet,
Buy bread, buy bread, rings down the eager street.


When the earth falters and the waters swoon
With the implacable radiance of noon,
And in dim shelters koïls hush their notes,
And the faint, thirsting blood in languid throats
Craves liquid succour from the cruel heat,
Buy fruit, buy fruit, steals down the panting street.


When twilight twinkling o'er the gay bazaars,
Unfurls a sudden canopy of stars,
When lutes are strung and fragrant torches lit
On white roof-terraces where lovers sit
Drinking together of life's poignant sweet,
Buy flowers, buy flowers, floats down the singing street.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Edward Kofi Louis 01 July 2016

A sudden canopy of stars! ! Nice piece of work.

5 2 Reply
Shivangi 18 November 2020

This poem is very nice Thanks

1 0 Reply
jomari daruca 26 February 2018

something really hard to understand but it feels like contented when you finally get the theme of the poem

2 2 Reply
Subhas Chandra Chakra 12 September 2017

When the earth falters and the waters swoon With the implacable radiance of noon, And in dim shelters koïls hush their notes, And the faint, thirsting blood in languid throats Craves liquid succour from the cruel heat, Buy fruit, buy fruit, steals down the panting street. A very good write. 10+++

4 0 Reply
Susan 07 February 2019

Can you tell me what koil means, please? !

0 0
Kumarmani Mahakul 01 July 2016

Twilight twinkles to convey message of every stage of street life when the Earth flatters with the implacable radiance of noon we feel this. In singing street flowers too sing amazingly in this great imagery. Very interesting and nice poem definitely this is...10

3 1 Reply
Rajnish Manga 01 July 2016

This is indeed a pulsating three-stage landscape of city life at the time of dawn, noon and then of the twilight hours created by one of the greatest English language poetess of India of twentieth century.

4 0 Reply
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Sarojini Naidu

Sarojini Naidu

Hyderabad / India
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