The Essential Works of Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore

and if this be thy play, then take this fleeting emptiness of mine, paint it with colours, gild it with gold, float it on the wanton wind and spread it in varied wonders.

      And again when it shall be thy wish to end this play at night, I shall melt and vanish away in the dark, or it may be in a smile of the white morning, in a coolness of purity transparent.

      On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time. But it is never lost, my lord. Thou hast taken every moment of my life in thine own hands.

      Hidden in the heart of things thou art nourishing seeds into sprouts, buds into blossoms, and ripening flowers into fruitfulness.

      I was tired and sleeping on my idle bed and imagined all work had ceased. In the morning I woke up and found my garden full with wonders of flowers.

      Time is endless in thy hands, my lord. There is none to count thy minutes.

      Days and nights pass and ages bloom and fade like flowers. Thou knowest how to wait.

      Thy centuries follow each other perfecting a small wild flower.

      We have no time to lose, and having no time we must scramble for a chances. We are too poor to be late.

      And thus it is that time goes by while I give it to every querulous man who claims it, and thine altar is empty of all offerings to the last.

      At the end of the day I hasten in fear lest thy gate to be shut; but I find that yet there is time.

      Mother, I shall weave a chain of pearls for thy neck with my tears of sorrow.

      The stars have wrought their anklets of light to deck thy feet, but mine will hang upon thy breast.

      Wealth and fame come from thee and it is for thee to give or to withhold them. But this my sorrow is absolutely mine own, and when I bring it to thee as my offering thou rewardest me with thy grace.

      It is the pang of separation that spreads throughout the world and gives birth to shapes innumerable in the infinite sky.

      It is this sorrow of separation that gazes in silence all nights from star to star and becomes lyric among rustling leaves in rainy darkness of July.

      It is this overspreading pain that deepens into loves and desires, into sufferings and joy in human homes; and this it is that ever melts and flows in songs through my poet’s heart.

      When the warriors came out first from their master’s hall, where had they hid their power? Where were their armour and their arms?

      They looked poor and helpless, and the arrows were showered upon them on the day they came out from their master’s hall.

      When the warriors marched back again to their master’s hall where did they hide their power?

      They had dropped the sword and dropped the bow and the arrow; peace was on their foreheads, and they had left the fruits of their life behind them on the day they marched back again to their master’s hall.

      Death, thy servant, is at my door. He has crossed the unknown sea and brought thy call to my home.

      The night is dark and my heart is fearful — yet I will take up the lamp, open my gates and bow to him my welcome. It is thy messenger who stands at my door.

      I will worship him placing at his feet the treasure of my heart.

      He will go back with his errand done, leaving a dark shadow on my morning; and in my desolate home only my forlorn self will remain as my last offering to thee.

      In desperate hope I go and search for her in all the corners of my room; I find her not.

      My house is small and what once has gone from it can never be regained.

      But infinite is thy mansion, my lord, and seeking her I have to come to thy door.

      I stand under the golden canopy of thine evening sky and I lift my eager eyes to thy face.

      I have come to the brink of eternity from which nothing can vanish — no hope, no happiness, no vision of a face seen through tears.

      Oh, dip my emptied life into that ocean, plunge it into the deepest fullness. Let me for once feel that lost sweet touch in the allness of the universe.

      Deity of the ruined temple! The broken strings of Vina sing no more your praise. The bells in the evening proclaim not your time of worship. The air is still and silent about you.

      In your desolate dwelling comes the vagrant spring breeze. It brings the tidings of flowers — the flowers that for your worship are offered no more.

      Your worshipper of old wanders ever longing for favour still refused. In the eventide, when fires and shadows mingle with the gloom of dust, he wearily comes back to the ruined temple with hunger in his heart.

      Many a festival day comes to you in silence, deity of the ruined temple. Many a night of worship goes away with lamp unlit.

      Many new images are built by masters of cunning art and carried to the holy stream of oblivion when their time is come.

      Only the deity of the ruined temple remains unworshipped in deathless neglect.

      No more noisy, loud words from me — such is my master’s will. Henceforth I deal in whispers. The speech of my heart will be carried on in murmurings of a song.

      Men hasten to the King’s market. All the buyers and sellers are there. But I have my untimely leave in the middle of the day, in the thick of work.

      Let then the flowers come out in my garden, though it is not their time; and let the midday bees strike up their lazy hum.

      Full many an hour have I spent in the strife of the good and the evil, but now it is the pleasure of my playmate of the empty days to draw my heart on to him; and I know not why is this sudden call to what useless inconsequence!

      On the day when death will knock at thy door what wilt thou offer to him?

      Oh, I will set before my guest the full vessel of my life — I will never let him go with empty hands.

      All the sweet vintage of all my autumn days and summer nights, all the earnings and gleanings of my busy life will I place before him at the close of my days when death will knock at my door.

      O thou the last fulfilment of life, Death, my death, come and whisper to me!

      Day after day I have kept watch for thee; for thee have I borne the joys and pangs of life.

      All that I am, that I have, that I hope and all my love have ever flowed towards thee in depth of secrecy. One final glance from thine eyes and my life will be ever thine own.

      The flowers have been woven and the garland is ready for the bridegroom. After the wedding the bride shall leave her home and meet her lord alone in the solitude of night.

      I know that the day will come when my sight of this earth shall be lost, and life will take its leave in silence, drawing the last curtain over my eyes.

      Yet stars will watch at night, and morning rise as before, and hours heave like sea waves casting up pleasures and pains.

      When I think of this end of my moments, the barrier of the moments breaks and I see by the light of death thy world with its careless treasures. Rare is its lowliest seat, rare is its meanest of lives.

      Things that I longed for in vain and things that I got — let them pass. Let me but truly possess the things that I ever spurned and overlooked.

      I have got my leave. Bid me farewell, my brothers! I bow to you all and take my departure.

      Here I give back the keys of my door — and I give up all claims to my house. I only ask for last kind words from you.

      We were neighbours for long, but I received more than I could give. Now the day has dawned and the lamp that lit my dark corner is out. A summons has come and I am ready for my journey.

      At this time of my parting, wish me good luck, my friends! The sky is flushed with the dawn and