If you call me by Sarojini Naidu

If you call me I will come
Swifter,O my love,
Than a trembling forest deer
Or a painting dove
Swifter them a snake that flies
To the charmer’s thrall…..
If you call me I will come
Fearless what befall.

If you call me, I will come
Swiftless than desire,
Swifter than the lighting’s feet
Shod with plumes of fire.
Life’s dark tides may roll between,
or Death’s deep chasm divide
If you call me I will come
Fearless what betide.

Summary

If You Call Me’ is a sweet song characterized by charming simplicity and lilting music, the swiftness of its rhythm harms. It is harmonizing well with the desire of the beloved for a swift reunion with the lover. Its two stanzas have eight lines, each with the second line rhyming with the fourth and the sixth with the eight. It is also to be noted that its refrain, ‘If You Call Me; I will come”, has been repeated four times.
Most of the words used are monosyllabic, and this contributes to the musicality of the song.

The Poetess is eager to go to her lover and is only waiting for a call for brim. As soon as he calls her, she would go to him more swiftly n a frightened deer of the forest running away from the hunter or a which is breathless and panting because of its long flight in the She would come to him swifter than does a snake at the call of the snake-charmer. If he calls, she will come fearlessly, whatever may be the consequences, or whatever may happen to her. Hers is a total surrender to her lover’s will; fear of consequences does not enter her calculation. If her lover calls her, she will fly to him swifter than desire or thought, swifter even than the lighting which rushes across the sky wearing shoes of a feather of fire. No obstacles would be able to prevent her. Dark oceans of misfortune may flow between them, or the vast gulf of death may separate them, but even then, she would not be stopped. If he calls her, she would come to him without fear of the consequences or care for the obstacles and difficulties that may beset her path. Here’s is a love which can brook no delay or difficulty. The lines’ swift-moving rhythm suitably conveys the intensity of the poet’s passion and the urgency of her desire. Here is an art that conceals art.

Explanation:

Sarojini Naidu says that the maiden is eager to go to her lover and is only waiting for a call from him. As soon as he calls her, she would go to him more swiftly than a frightened deer of the forest running away from the hunter or a dove which is breathless and panting because of its long flight in the sky. She would come to him swifter that does a snake at the call of the snake charmer. If he calls her, she will come fearlessly, whatever may be the consequences, or whatever may happen to her. Hers is a total surrender to the will of her lover; fear of consequence does not enter into her calculation. The pleasure afforded by her union with her lover would outweigh all fear of later consequences. If her love calls her, she will fly to him, swifter than desire or thought, swifter even than the lightning rushes across the sky wearing shoes of feathers of fire. No obstacles would be able to prevent her. Dark oceans of misfortune may flow between them, or the vast gulf of death may separate them, but even then, she would not be stopped. If he calls her, she would come to him without fear of the consequences or care for the obstacles and difficulties that may beset her path. Hers is a love which can brook no delay or difficulty. The lines’ swift-moving rhythm suitably conveys the intensity of the poet’s passion and the urgency of her desire. Here is an art that conceals art.

Reference to the Context:

These lines are from the poem ‘If You Call Me’, composed by Sarojini Naidu. Sarojini Naidu is one of the leading Indian-English poetess. It is an exquisite love poem of Mrs. Naidu. The theme of love predominates in her poetry. It is a pretty little song conveying through its air the maiden’s Intense eagerness to fly to her lover. Uncalled she would not go: she has her own proud will. All the swiftest things have been assembled in the song the deer, the dove, the snake flying to the charmer’s call. Maiden would outrun all these. The burning intensity of the maiden’s heart is her swiftness.