Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Tagore: NATYAGEETI, 11

O friend, what is care? O friend, what is pain?
You all talk of ‘love’ time and again —
What is called love, O dear friend?
Is it full of woes to the end?
Is it only tears? Only sighs of grief?
Such plight men desire for what relief?

All I behold is beauty divine
All full of youth, all is so pure,
Verdant gardens, and skies azure,
Petal-soft moonlight — all is like mine.

They know only laughter, only songs do they know,
in playful mirth do they come and go
No trace of sorrow, no lament to share
They know not the distress of care.

The flowers, they wither with a smile
With a smile does the moonlight fade
Scattering laughter in an ocean of lights
The stars disappear in the shade

Who is there as contented as I?
O friend do come by my side —
With a gay song of my heart’s delight
shall the weight of your heart be light

You only want to grieve everyday
let us make merry for once
For once forgetting all sorrow
let us all sing and dance