Poems of Rabindranath Tagore
the centre is still and silent
in the heart of an eternal dance of circles
the judge thinks that he is just
when he compares
the oil of another’s lamp
with the light of his own;
the captive flower in the king’s wreath
smiles bitterly
when the meadow-flower envies her
its store of snow
is the hill’s own burden;
its outpouring of streams
is borne by all the world
listen to the prayer of the forest
for its freedom in flowers
let your love see me
even through the barrier of nearness
the spirit of work in creation is there
to carry & help the spirit of play
to carry the burden of the instrument
count the cost of its material
and never to know that it is for music—
the tragedy of deaf life
faith is the bird that feels the light
and sings when the dawn is still dark
I bring to thee
night
day’s empty cup to be cleansed
with cool darkness
for the new morning’s festival
Rabindranath Tagore (1928)