Rabindranath Tagore: his poetry speaks my heart

I love Robindronath. I learned Bangla to read him in his original words. His poetry is something which I feel in my heart. It surprises me to see that how easily he finds the words for the feelings I cannot express. And his words are embellished with the beauty of virginity and integrity. His thoughts and emotions are as pure and fresh as the Veda-mantra, the first poetry of the world.

Whenever I read him, I find myself there with him. My heart joins his music, and something ineffable of me gets a voice. I can sense the oneness of a tiny ‘me’ with a boundless ‘he’. And then the span of time between me and him accounts for nothing.This one is expressed so beautifully -

    “Obstinate are the trammels, but my heart aches
    When I try to break them.

    Freedom is all I want, but
    To hope for it l feel ashamed.

    I am certain that priceless wealth is in thee,
    And that thou art my best friend, but I have not
    The heart to sweep away the tinsel that fills my room.

    The shroud that covers me is
    A shroud of dust and death;
    I hate it, yet hug it in love.

    My debts are large, my failures great,
    My shame secret and heavy; yet when I come
    To ask for my good, I quake in fear
    Lest my prayer be granted. ”                        (from “Gitanjali”)

I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, quite like an ordinary person. I cannot erase off the past, yet I hope for it and I cannot stay entangled with it too. I believe in looking forward and I am doing so as well.