The Essential Works of Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore

or bend my knees before insolent might.

      Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.

      And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.

      I thought that my voyage had come to its end at the last limit of my power, — that the path before me was closed, that provisions were exhausted and the time come to take shelter in a silent obscurity.

      But I find that thy will knows no end in me. And when old words die out on the tongue, new melodies break forth from the heart; and where the old tracks are lost, new country is revealed with its wonders.

      That I want thee, only thee — let my heart repeat without end. All desires that distract me, day and night, are false and empty to the core.

      As the night keeps hidden in its gloom the petition for light, even thus in the depth of my unconsciousness rings the cry — ‘I want thee, only thee’.

      As the storm still seeks its end in peace when it strikes against peace with all its might, even thus my rebellion strikes against thy love and still its cry is — ‘I want thee, only thee’.

      When the heart is hard and parched up, come upon me with a shower of mercy.

      When grace is lost from life, come with a burst of song.

      When tumultuous work raises its din on all sides shutting me out from beyond, come to me, my lord of silence, with thy peace and rest.

      When my beggarly heart sits crouched, shut up in a corner, break open the door, my king, and come with the ceremony of a king.

      When desire blinds the mind with delusion and dust, O thou holy one, thou wakeful, come with thy light and thy thunder.

      The rain has held back for days and days, my God, in my arid heart. The horizon is fiercely naked — not the thinnest cover of a soft cloud, not the vaguest hint of a distant cool shower.

      Send thy angry storm, dark with death, if it is thy wish, and with lashes of lightning startle the sky from end to end.

      But call back, my lord, call back this pervading silent heat, still and keen and cruel, burning the heart with dire despair.

      Let the cloud of grace bend low from above like the tearful look of the mother on the day of the father’s wrath.

      Where dost thou stand behind them all, my lover, hiding thyself in the shadows? They push thee and pass thee by on the dusty road, taking thee for naught. I wait here weary hours spreading my offerings for thee, while passers-by come and take my flowers, one by one, and my basket is nearly empty.

      The morning time is past, and the noon. In the shade of evening my eyes are drowsy with sleep. Men going home glance at me and smile and fill me with shame. I sit like a beggar maid, drawing my skirt over my face, and when they ask me, what it is I want, I drop my eyes and answer them not.

      Oh, how, indeed, could I tell them that for thee I wait, and that thou hast promised to come. How could I utter for shame that I keep for my dowry this poverty. Ah, I hug this pride in the secret of my heart.

      I sit on the grass and gaze upon the sky and dream of the sudden splendour of thy coming — all the lights ablaze, golden pennons flying over thy car, and they at the roadside standing agape, when they see thee come down from thy seat to raise me from the dust, and set at thy side this ragged beggar girl a-tremble with shame and pride, like a creeper in a summer breeze.

      But time glides on and still no sound of the wheels of thy chariot. Many a procession passes by with noise and shouts and glamour of glory. Is it only thou who wouldst stand in the shadow silent and behind them all? And only I who would wait and weep and wear out my heart in vain longing?

      Early in the day it was whispered that we should sail in a boat, only thou and I, and never a soul in the world would know of this our pilgrimage to no country and to no end.

      In that shoreless ocean, at thy silently listening smile my songs would swell in melodies, free as waves, free from all bondage of words.

      Is the time not come yet? Are there works still to do? Lo, the evening has come down upon the shore and in the fading light the seabirds come flying to their nests.

      Who knows when the chains will be off, and the boat, like the last glimmer of sunset, vanish into the night?

      The day was when I did not keep myself in readiness for thee; and entering my heart unbidden even as one of the common crowd, unknown to me, my king, thou didst press the signet of eternity upon many a fleeting moment of my life.

      And today when by chance I light upon them and see thy signature, I find they have lain scattered in the dust mixed with the memory of joys and sorrows of my trivial days forgotten.

      Thou didst not turn in contempt from my childish play among dust, and the steps that I heard in my playroom are the same that are echoing from star to star.

      This is my delight, thus to wait and watch at the wayside where shadow chases light and the rain comes in the wake of the summer.

      Messengers, with tidings from unknown skies, greet me and speed along the road. My heart is glad within, and the breath of the passing breeze is sweet.

      From dawn till dusk I sit here before my door, and I know that of a sudden the happy moment will arrive when I shall see.

      In the meanwhile I smile and I sing all alone. In the meanwhile the air is filling with the perfume of promise.

      Have you not heard his silent steps? He comes, comes, ever comes.

      Every moment and every age, every day and every night he comes, comes, ever comes.

      Many a song have I sung in many a mood of mind, but all their notes have always proclaimed, ‘He comes, comes, ever comes.’

      In the fragrant days of sunny April through the forest path he comes, comes, ever comes.

      In the rainy gloom of July nights on the thundering chariot of clouds he comes, comes, ever comes.

      In sorrow after sorrow it is his steps that press upon my heart, and it is the golden touch of his feet that makes my joy to shine.

      I know not from what distant time thou art ever coming nearer to meet me. Thy sun and stars can never keep thee hidden from me for aye.

      In many a morning and eve thy footsteps have been heard and thy messenger has come within my heart and called me in secret.

      I know not only why today my life is all astir, and a feeling of tremulous joy is passing through my heart.

      It is as if the time were come to wind up my work, and I feel in the air a faint smell of thy sweet presence.

      The night is nearly spent waiting for him in vain. I fear lest in the morning he suddenly come to my door when I have fallen asleep wearied out. Oh friends, leave the way open to him — forbid him not.

      If the sounds of his steps does not wake me, do not try to rouse me, I pray. I wish not to be called from my sleep by the clamorous choir of birds, by the riot of wind at the festival of morning light. Let me sleep undisturbed even if my lord comes of a sudden to my door.

      Ah, my sleep, precious sleep, which only waits for his touch to vanish. Ah, my closed eyes that would open their lids only to the light of his smile when he stands before me like a dream emerging from darkness of sleep.

      Let him appear before my sight as the first of all lights and all forms. The first thrill of joy to my awakened soul let it come from his glance. And let my return to myself be immediate return to him.

      The morning sea of silence broke into ripples of bird songs; and the flowers were all merry by the roadside; and the wealth of gold was scattered through the rift of the clouds while we busily went on our way and paid no heed.

      We sang no glad songs nor played; we went not to the village for barter; we spoke not a word nor smiled; we lingered not on the way. We quickened our pace more and more as the time sped by.

      The