Sunday, February 8, 2009

Link Up: Poetry and prose strike a musical note

In an earlier post I dropped in a poem by Robert Frost.

Bobbie, a regular reader, said that among her favourite poets (including her youngest daughter) was Rabindranath Tagore.

You know what happens next, right?

No?

Here is My Song by R. Tagore:

This song of mine will wind its music around you,
my child, like the fond arms of love.
The song of mine will touch your forehead

like a kiss of blessing.

When you are alone it will sit by your side
and 
whisper in your ear,
when you are in the crowd

it will fence you about with aloofness.


My song will be like a pair of wings to your dreams,

it will transport your heart to the verge of the unknown.
It will be like the faithful star overhead

when dark night is over your road.

My song will sit in the pupils of your eyes,

and will carry your sight into the heart of things.

And when my voice is silenced in death,

my song will speak in your living heart.

Link to more poetry by Rabindranath Tagore.

Link to more poetry by Robert Frost.

.

2 comments:

bobbie said...

Thank you for this. Interestingly, another blogger recently posted the same poem.

I have also noticed that Tagore's poetry is often translated slightly differently by various people. I've seen three versions of his book, "Fireflies", each just a little different.

I've always loved his verse:
"Every child comes with the message, God is not yet discouraged of man."

G. Harrison said...

Hi Bobbie,

I think that poetry and prose (incl. the line you mentioned in your comment) are able to say much with little.

A powerful sentence or two is all that is often needed to inspire an open mind.

Cheers,

GAH