The Poet’s Age by Tagore translated by Ranu
The Poet’s age by Tagore
Evening is almost here ,oh my dear poet,
I can see white streaks in your hair___
you are sitting and looking up in the sky
makes me wonder, are you hearing the call from the next world?
I know it’s evening, said the poet,
my exhausted body still desires to know
if perchance from the other village
someone needs my help.
If there under the fragrant trees
some young man and young woman fall in love
they might need some help
perhaps would like some enchanting music_
who is going to read their mind,
and play the music in his flute,
if I sit on this earth ,
and count my days left to go to the other world.
The evening star rose and set,
the funeral pyre is about to extinguish along the river,
the yellow moon from lord Krishna
is showing itself from one side of the forest,
the foxes are making loud noise
from the courtyard of the burnt house__
at this time if some homeless man
comes here to spend the night,
with folded hands he looks up
and sees a saint,
slowly his heart will ache
who will awaken his mind with the secret words of the universe
if I free myself and make plans,
In a corner of my house?
Yes I have streaks of white hair,
why does it matter?
Know that I am as old as the men and boys of the neighbourhood.
Some have innocent smiling faces, others look crooked,
tears come down from some of their eyes
others have tears dried in their mind
some spend time in the corner of the house
others are showing off in fancy chariots
some die alone while grieving
others lose their way in a crowd__
I am getting a call from everyone,
I don’t have time to hear the call from the next world.
I am just as old as the others
even if my hair is turning white.
Dear Ranu,
Thank you very much for this poem. it is a strong reminder of death. May we all be with the one we love, now, and then.
All good wishes,
robert
Yes,Robert,it is a reminder.Thank you.
Ranu
This is an amazing poem which looks translated in most catching manner, the following lines are just exceptional and opens door of imaginative curiosity:
“I am getting a call from everyone,
I don’t have time to hear the call from the next world “
Thanks to you Akhtar Bhai,your comments have made me realize,I should keep trying to do better.
When I read this poem,I thought why didn’t I see this before.Tagore has written this so beautifully,
I owe it to him and my good friends to try harder.Which is what I tried to do.I am happy to know,you found
it good.
Regards,
Chaman