They Clamour And Fight, They Doubt And Despair

They Clamour And Fight, They Doubt And Despair, They Know No End
To Their Wrangling.
Let Your Life Come Amongst Them Like A Flame Of Light, My
Child, Unflickering And Pure, And Delight Them Into Silence.
They Are Cruel In Their Greed And Their Envy, Their Words Are Like
Hidden Knives Thirsting For Blood.
Go And Stand Amidst Their Scowling Hearts, My Child, And Let
Your Gentle Eyes Fall Upon Them Like The Forgiving Peace Of The
Evening Over The Strife Of The Day.
Let Them See Your Face, My Child, And Thus Know The Meaning
Of All Things; Let Them Love You And Thus Love Each Other.
Come And Take Your Seat In The Bosom Of The Limitless, My
Child. At Sunrise Open And Raise Your Heart Like A Blossoming
Flower, And At Sunset Bend Your Head And In Silence Complete The
Worship Of The Day.

Supposing I Became A Chanpa Flower, Just For Fun

Supposing I Became A Chanpa Flower, Just For Fun, And Grew On A
Branch High Up That Tree, And Shook In The Wind With Laughter And
Danced Upon The Newly Budded Leaves, Would You Know Me, Mother?
You Would Call, "baby, Where Are You?" And I Should Laugh To
Myself And Keep Quite Quiet.
I Should Slyly Open My Petals And Watch You At Your Work.
When After Your Bath, With Wet Hair Spread On Your Shoulders,
You Walked Through The Shadow Of The Champ Tree To The Little Court
Where You Say Your Prayers, You Would Notice The Scent Of The
Flower, But Not Know That It Cane From Me.
When After The Midday Meal You Sat At The Window Reading
Ramayana, And The Tree's Shadow Fell Over Your Hair And Your Lap,
I Should Fling My Wee Little Shadow On To The Page Of Your Book,
Just Where You Were Reading.
But Would You Guess That It Was The Tiny Shadow Of Your
Little Child?
When In The Evening You Went To The Cow Shed With The Lighted
Lamp In Your Hand I Should Suddenly Drop On To The Earth Again And
Be Your Own Baby Once More, And Beg You To Tell Me A Story.
"where Have You Been, You Naughty Child?"
"i Won't Tell You, Mother." That's What You And I Would Say
Then.

I Must Launch Out My Boat

I Must Launch Out My Boat.
The Languid Hours Pass By On The
Shore---alas For Me!

The Spring Has Done Its Flowering And Taken Leave.
And Now With The Burden Of Faded Futile Flowers I Wait And Linger.

The Waves Have Become Clamorous, And Upon The Bank In The Shady Lane
The Yellow Leaves Flutter And Fall.

What Emptiness Do You Gaze Upon!
Do You Not Feel A Thrill Passing Through The Air
With The Notes Of The Far-away Song
Floating From The Other Shore?

Where Have I Come From, Where Did You Pick Me Up?

"Where Have I Come From, Where Did You Pick Me Up?" The Baby Asked
Its Mother.
She Answered, Half Crying, Half Laughing, And Clasping The
Baby To Her Breast-
"you Were Hidden In My Heart As Its Desire, My Darling.
You Were In The Dolls Of My Childhood's Games; And When With
Clay I Made The Image Of My God Every Morning, I Made The Unmade
You Then.
You Were Enshrined With Our Household Deity, In His Worship
I Worshipped You.
In All My Hopes And My Loves, In My Life, In The Life Of My
Mother You Have Lived.
In The Lap Of The Deathless Spirit Who Rules Our Home You Have
Been Nursed For Ages.
When In Girlhood My Heart Was Opening Its Petals, You Hovered
As A Fragrance About It.
Your Tender Softness Bloomed In My Youthful Limbs, Like A Glow
In The Sky Before The Sunrise.
Heaven's First Darling, Twain-born With The Morning Light, You
Have Floated Down The Stream Of The World's Life, And At Last You
Have Stranded On My Heart.
As I Gaze On Your Face, Mystery Overwhelms Me; You Who Belong
To All Have Become Mine.
For Fear Of Losing You I Hold You Tight To My Breast. What
Magic Has Snared The World's Treasure In These Slender Arms Of
Mine?"

You Shaggy-headed Banyan Tree Standing On The Bank Of The Pond

O You Shaggy-headed Banyan Tree Standing On The Bank Of The Pond,
Have You Forgotten The Little Chile, Like The Birds That Have
Nested In Your Branches And Left You?
Do You Not Remember How He Sat At The Window And Wondered At
The Tangle Of Your Roots And Plunged Underground?
The Women Would Come To Fill Their Jars In The Pond, And Your
Huge Black Shadow Would Wriggle On The Water Like Sleep Struggling
To Wake Up.
Sunlight Danced On The Ripples Like Restless Tiny Shuttles
Weaving Golden Tapestry.
Two Ducks Swam By The Weedy Margin Above Their Shadows, And
The Child Would Sit Still And Think.
He Longed To Be The Wind And Blow Through Your Resting
Branches, To Be Your Shadow And Lengthen With The Day On The Water,
To Be A Bird And Perch On Your Topmost Twig, And To Float Like
Those Ducks Among The Weeds And Shadows.

If I Were Only A Little Puppy, Not Your Baby

If I Were Only A Little Puppy, Not Your Baby, Mother Dear, Would
You Say "no" To Me If I Tried To Eat From Your Dish?
Would You Drive Me Off, Saying To Me, "get Away, You Naughty
Little Puppy?"
Then Go, Mother, Go! I Will Never Come To You When You Call
Me, And Never Let You Feed Me Any More.
If I Were Only A Little Green Parrot, And Not Your Baby,
Mother Dear, Would You Keep Me Chained Lest I Should Fly Away?
Would You Shake Your Finger At Me And Say, "what An Ungrateful
Wretch Of A Bird! It Is Gnawing At Its Chain Day And Night?"
The Go, Mother, Go! I Will Run Away Into The Woods; I Will
Never Let You Take Me In Your Arms Again.

Mother, Your Baby Is Silly! She Is So Absurdly Childish

Mother, Your Baby Is Silly! She Is So Absurdly Childish!
She Does Not Know The Difference Between The Lights In The
Streets And The Stars.
When We Play At Eating With Pebbles, She Thinks They Are Real
Food, And Tries To Put Them Into Her Mouth.
When I Open A Book Before Her And Ask Her To Learn Her A, B,
C, She Tears The Leaves With Her Hands And Roars For Joy At
Nothing; This Is Your Baby's Way Of Doing Her Lesson.
When I Shake My Head At Her In Anger And Scold Her And Call
Her Naughty, She Laughs And Thinks It Great Fun.
Everybody Knows That Father Is Away, But If In Play I Call
Aloud "father," She Looks About Her In Excitement And Thinks That
Father Is Near.
When I Hold My Class With The Donkeys That Our Washer Man
Brings To Carry Away The Clothes And I Warn Her That I Am The
Schoolmaster, She Will Scream For No Reason And Call Me Dada.
Your Baby Wants To Catch The Moon. She Is So Funny; She Calls
Ganesh Ganush.
Mother, Your Baby Is Silly! She Is So Absurdly Childish!

My Desires Are Many And My Cry Is Pitiful

My Desires Are Many And My Cry Is Pitiful,
But Ever Didst Thou Save Me By Hard Refusals;
And This Strong Mercy Has Been Wrought Into My Life Through And Through.

Day By Day Thou Art Making Me Worthy Of The Simple,
Great Gifts That Thou Gavest To Me Unasked---this Sky And The Light, This Body And The
Life And The Mind---saving Me From Perils Of Overmuch Desire.

There Are Times When I Languidly Linger
And Times When I Awaken And Hurry In Search Of My Goal;
But Cruelly Thou Hidest Thyself From Before Me.

Day By Day Thou Art Making Me Worthy Of Thy Full Acceptance By
Refusing Me Ever And Anon, Saving Me From Perils Of Weak, Uncertain Desire.

The Same Stream Of Life That Runs Through My Veins

The Same Stream Of Life That Runs Through My Veins Night And Day
Runs Through The World And Dances In Rhythmic Measures.

It Is The Same Life That Shoots In Joy Through The Dust Of The Earth
In Numberless Blades Of Grass
And Breaks Into Tumultuous Waves Of Leaves And Flowers.

It Is The Same Life That Is Rocked In The Ocean-cradle Of Birth
And Of Death, In Ebb And In Flow.

I Feel My Limbs Are Made Glorious By The Touch Of This World Of Life.
And My Pride Is From The Life-throb Of Ages Dancing In My Blood This Moment.

Stray Birds : Poem by Rabindranath Tagore

1

Stray Birds Of Summer Come To My Window
To Sing And Fly Away.
And Yellow Leaves Of Autumn,
Which Have No Songs,
Flutter And Fall There With A Sigh.

2

O Troupe Of Little Vagrants Of The World,
Leave Your Footprints In My Words.

3

The World Puts Off Its Mask Of Vastness To Its Lover.
It Becomes Small As One Song,
As One Kiss Of The Eternal.

4

It Is The Tears Of The Earth
That Keep Her Smiles In Bloom.

5

The Mighty Desert Is Burning
For The Love Of A Blade Of Grass
Who Shakes Her Head And Laughs
And Flies
Away.

6

If You Shed Tears When You Miss The Sun,
You Also Miss The Stars.

7

The Sands In Your Way Beg For Your Song
And Your Movement,
Dancing Water.
Will You Carry The Burden Of Their Lameness?

8

Her Wistful Face Haunts My Dreams
Like The Rain At Night.

9

Once We Dreamt That We Were Strangers.
We Wake Up To Find That We Were Dear To Each Other.

10

Sorrow Is Hushed Into Peace In My Heart
Like The Evening Among The Silent Trees.

11
Some Unseen Fingers, Like Idle Breeze,
Are Playing Upon My Heart The Music Of The Ripples.

12

'what Language Is Thine, O Sea?'
'the Language Of Eternal Question.'
'what Language Is Thy Answer, O Sky?
'the Language Of Eternal Silence.'

13

Listen,
My Heart,
To The Whispers Of The World
With Which It Makes Love To You.

14

The Mystery Of Creation
Is Like The Darkness Of Night--
It Is Great.

Delusions Of Knowledge Are Like
The Fog Of The Morning.

15

Do Not Seat Your Love Upon A Precipice Because It Is High.
16

I Sit At My Window This Morning
Where The World Like A Passer-by Stops For A Moment,
Nods To Me And Goes.

17

These Little Thoughts Are The Rustle Of Leaves;
They Have Their Whisper Of
Joy In My Mind.

18

What You Are You Do Not See,
What You See Is Your Shadow.


19

My Wishes Are Fools, They Shout Across Thy Songs, My Master.
Let Me But Listen.

20

I Cannot Choose The Best.
The Best Chooses Me.


21

They Throw Their Shadows Before Them
Who Carry Their Lantern On Their Back.

22

That I Exist
Is A Perpetual Surprise
Which Is Life.

23

'we, The Rustling Leaves,
Have A Voice That Answers The Storms,
But Who Are You So Silent?'
'i Am A Mere Flower.'

24

Rest Belongs To The Work
As The Eyelids To The Eyes.

25

Man Is A Born Child,
His Power Is The Power Of Growth.

26

God Expects Answers For The Flowers He Sends Us,
Not For The Sun
And The Earth.

27

The Light That Plays, Like A Naked Child,
Among The Green Leaves Happily Knows Not
That Man Can Lie.

28

O Beauty,
Find Thyself In Love,
Not In The Flattery Of Thy Mirror.

29

My Heart Beats Her Waves At The Shore Of The World
And Writes Upon It Her Signature In Tears With The Words,
'i Love Thee.'

30

'moon,
For What Do You Wait?'
'to Salute The Sun For Whom I Must Make Way.'

31

The Trees Come Up To My Window
Like The Yearning Voice Of The Dumb Earth.

32

His Own Mornings Are New Surprises To God.

33

Life Finds Its Wealth By The Claims Of The World,
And Its Worth By The Claims Of Love.

34

The Dry River-bed Finds No Thanks For Its Past.

35

The Bird Wishes It Were A Cloud.
The Cloud Wishes It Were A Bird.

36

The Waterfall Sings,
'i Find My Song,
When I Find My Freedom.'

37

I Cannot Tell Why This Heart Languishes In Silence.
It Is For Small Needs It Never Asks,
Or Knows Or Remembers.

38

Woman,
When You Move About In Your Household Service
Your Limbs Sing Like A Hill Stream Among Its Pebbles.

39

The Sun Goes To Cross The Western Sea,
Leaving Its Last Salutation To The East.

40

Do Not Blame Your Food Because You Have No Appetite.

41

The Trees,
Like The Longings Of The Earth,
Stand A-tiptoe To Peep At The Heaven.

42

You Smiled And Talked To Me Of Nothing
And I Felt That For This I Had Been Waiting Long.

43

The Fish In The Water Is Silent,
The Animal On The Earth Is Noisy,
The Bird In The Air Is Singing,
But Man Has In Him
The Silence Of The Sea,
The Noise Of The Earth
And The Music Of The Air.

44

The World Rushes On
Over The Strings Of The Lingering Heart
Making The Music Of Sadness.

45

He Has Made His Weapons His Gods.
When His Weapons Win He Is Defeated Himself.

46

God Finds Himself By Creating.

47

Shadow,
With Her Veil Drawn,
Follows Light In Secret Meekness,
With Her Silent Steps Of
Love.

48

The Stars

Are Not Afraid To Appear Like Fireflies.

49

I Thank Thee That I Am None Of The Wheels Of Power
But I Am One With The Living Creatures
That Are Crushed By It.

50

The Mind,
Sharp But Not Broad,
Sticks At Every Point
But Does Not Move.

51

Your Idol Is Shattered In The Dust
To Prove That God's Dust Is Greater Than
Your Idol.

52

Man Does Not Reveal Himself In His History,
He Struggles Up Through It.

53

While The Glass Lamp Rebukes The Earthen For Calling It Cousin,
The Moon Rises, And The Glass Lamp,
With A Bland Smile, Calls Her,
'my Dear, Dear Sister.'

54

Like The Meeting Of The Seagulls
And The Waves We Meet And Come Near.
The Seagulls Fly Off,
The Waves Roll Away And We Depart.

55

My Day Is Done,
And I Am Like A Boat Drawn On The Beach,
Listening To The Dance-music Of T
He Tide In The Evening.

56

Life Is Given To Us,
We Earn It By Giving It.

57

We Come Nearest To The Great
When We Are Great In Humility.

58

The Sparrow Is Sorry For The Peacock
At The Burden Of Its Tail.

59

Never Be Afraid Of The Moments--
Thus Sings The Voice Of The Everlasting.

60

The Hurricane Seeks The Shortest Road
By The No-road,
And Suddenly Ends Its Search In The Nowhere.

61

Take My Wine In My Own Cup, Friend.
It Loses Its Wreath Of Foam
When Poured Into That Of Others.

62

The Perfect Decks Itself In Beauty
For The Love Of The Imperfect.

63

God Says To Man,
'i Heal You Therefore I Hurt,
Love You Therefore Punish.'

64

Thank The Flame For Its Light,
But Do Not Forget The Lampholder
Standing In The Shade With Constancy Of Patience.

65

Tiny Grass,
Your Steps Are Small,
But You Possess The Earth Under Your Tread.

66

The Infant Flower Opens Its Bud And Cries,
'dear World, Please Do Not Fade.'

67

God Grows Weary Of Great Kingdoms,
But Never Of Little Flowers.

68

Wrong Cannot Afford Defeat
But Right Can.

69

'i Give My Whole Water In Joy,
' Sings The Waterfall,
'though Little Of It Is Enough For The Thirsty.'

70

Where Is The Fountain
That Throws Up These Flowers
In A Ceaseless Outbreak Of Ecstasy?

71

The Woodcutter's Axe Begged For Its Handle From The Tree.
The Tree Gave It.

72

In My Solitude Of Heart
I Feel The Sigh Of This Widowed Evening
Veiled With Mist And Rain.

73

Chastity
Is A Wealth That Comes From
Abundance Of Love.

74

The Mist,
Like Love,
Plays Upon The Heart Of The Hills
And Brings Out Surprises Of Beauty.

75

We Read The World Wrong
And Say That It Deceives Us.

76

The Poet Wind Is Out Over The Sea
And The Forest To Seek His Own Voice.

77

Every Child
Comes With The Message
That God Is Not Yet Discouraged
Of Man.

78

The Grass Seeks Her Crowd In The Earth.
The Tree Seeks His Solitude Of The Sky.

79

Man Barricades Against Himself.

80

Your Voice, My Friend,
Wanders In My Heart,
Like The Muffled Sound Of The Sea
Among These Listening Pines.

81

What Is This Unseen Flame Of Darkness
Whose Sparks Are The Stars?

82

Let Life Be Beautiful Like Summer Flowers
And Death Like Autumn Leaves.

88

He Who Wants To Do Good Knocks At The Gate;
He Who Loves
Finds The Gate Open.

84

In Death The Many Becomes One;
In Life The One Becomes Many.
Religion Will Be One
When God Is Dead.

85

The Artist Is The Lover Of Nature,
Therefore He Is Her Slave
And Her Master.

86

'how Far Are You From Me, O Fruit?'
'i Am Hidden In Your Heart, O Flower.'

87

This Longing Is For The One Who Is Felt In The Dark,
But Not Seen In The Day.

88

'you Are The Big Drop Of Dew Under The Lotus Leaf,
I Am The Smaller One On Its Upper Side,
' Said The Dewdrop To The Lake.

89

The Scabbard Is Content To Be Dull
When It Protects The Keenness Of The Sword.

90

In Darkness
The One Appears As Uniform;
In The Light
The One Appears As Manifold.

91

The Great Earth Makes Herself Hospitable
With The Help Of The Grass.

92

The Birth And Death Of The Leaves
Are The Rapid Whirls Of The Eddy
Whose Wider Circles
Move Slowly Among Stars.

93

Power Said To The World, 'you Are Mine.
The World Kept It Prisoner On Her Throne.
Love Said To The World, 'i Am Thine.'
The World Gave It The Freedom Of Her House.

94

The Mist Is Like The Earth's Desire.
It Hides The Sun For Whom She Cries.

95

Be Still,
My Heart,
These Great Trees Are Prayers.

96

The Noise Of The Moment
Scoffs At The Music Of The Eternal.

97

I Think Of Other Ages
That Floated Upon The Stream Of Life
And Love And Death And Are Forgotten,
And I Feel The Freedom Of Passing Away.

98

The Sadness Of My Soul Is Her Bride's Veil.
It Waits To Be Lifted In The Night.

99

Death's Stamp Gives Value To The Coin Of Life;
Making It Possible To Buy With Life What Is Truly Precious.

When I Give Up The Helm I Know That The Time Has Come For Thee To Take It

When I Give Up The Helm
I Know That The Time Has Come For Thee To Take It.
What There Is To Do Will Be Instantly Done.
Vain Is This Struggle.

Then Take Away Your Hands
And Silently Put Up With Your Defeat, My Heart,
And Think It Your Good Fortune To Sit Perfectly Still
Where You Are Placed.

These My Lamps Are Blown Out At Every Little Puff Of Wind,
And Trying To Light Them I Forget All Else Again And Again.

But I Shall Be Wise This Time And Wait In The Dark,
Spreading My Mat On The Floor;
And Whenever It Is Thy Pleasure, My Lord,
Come Silently And Take Thy Seat Here.

The Song That I Came To Sing Remains Unsung To This Day

The Song That I Came To Sing Remains Unsung To This Day.

I Have Spent My Days In Stringing And In Unstringing My Instrument.

The Time Has Not Come True, The Words Have Not Been Rightly Set;
Only There Is The Agony Of Wishing In My Heart.

The Blossom Has Not Opened; Only The Wind Is Sighing By.

I Have Not Seen His Face, Nor Have I Listened To His Voice;
Only I Have Heard His Gentle Footsteps From The Road Before My House.

The Livelong Day Has Passed In Spreading His Seat On The Floor;
But The Lamp Has Not Been Lit And I Cannot Ask Him Into My House.

I Live In The Hope Of Meeting With Him; But This Meeting Is Not Yet.

Who Stole Sleep From Baby's Eyes?

Who Stole Sleep From Baby's Eyes? I Must Know.
Clasping Her Pitcher To Her Waist Mother Went To Fetch Water
From The Village Near By.
It Was Noon. The Children's Playtime Was Over; The Ducks In
The Pond Were Silent.
The Shepherd Boy Lay Asleep Under The Shadow Of The Banyan
Tree.
The Crane Stood Grave And Still In The Swamp Near The Mango
Grove.
In The Meanwhile The Sleep-stealer Came And, Snatching Sleep
From Baby's Eyes, Flew Away.
When Mother Came Back She Found Baby Travelling The Room Over
On All Fours.
Who Stole Sleep From Our Baby's Eyes? I Must Know. I Must Find
Her And Chain Her Up.
I Must Look Into That Dark Cave, Where, Through Boulders And
Scowling Stones, Trickles A Tiny Stream.
I Must Search In The Drowsy Shade Of The Bakula Grove, Where
Pigeons Coo In Their Corner, And Fairies' Anklets Tinkle In The
Stillness Of Starry Nights.
In The Evening I Will Peep Into The Whispering Silence Of The
Bamboo Forest, Where Fireflies Squander Their Light, And Will Ask
Every Creature I Meet, "can Anybody Tell Me Where The Sleep-stealer
Lives?"
Who Stole Sleep From Baby's Eyes? I Must Know.
Shouldn't I Give Her A Good Lesson If I Could Only Catch Her!
I Would Raid Her Nest And See Where She Hoards All Her Stolen
Sleep.
I Would Plunder It All, And Carry It Home.
I Would Bind Her Two Wings Securely, Set Her On The Bank Of
The River, And Then Let Her Play At Fishing With A Reed Among The
Rushes And Water-lilies.
When The Marketing Is Over In The Evening, And The Village
Children Sit In Their Mothers' Laps, Then The Night Birds Will
Mockingly Din Her Ears With:
"whose Sleep Will You Steal Now?"

In The Night Of Weariness

In The Night Of Weariness
Let Me Give Myself Up To Sleep Without Struggle,
Resting My Trust Upon Thee.

Let Me Not Force My Flagging Spirit Into A Poor Preparation For Thy Worship.

It Is Thou Who Drawest The Veil Of Night Upon The Tired Eyes Of The Day
To Renew Its Sight In A Fresher Gladness Of Awakening.

I Boasted Among Men That I Had Known You

I Boasted Among Men That I Had Known You.
They See Your Pictures In All Works Of Mine.
They Come And Ask Me, `who Is He?'
I Know Not How To Answer Them. I Say, `indeed, I Cannot Tell.'
They Blame Me And They Go Away In Scorn.
And You Sit There Smiling.

I Put My Tales Of You Into Lasting Songs.
The Secret Gushes Out From My Heart.
They Come And Ask Me, `tell Me All Your Meanings.'
I Know Not How To Answer Them.
I Say, `ah, Who Knows What They Mean!'
They Smile And Go Away In Utter Scorn.
And You Sit There Smiling.

Have You Not Heard His Silent Steps?

Have You Not Heard His Silent Steps?
He Comes, Comes, Ever Comes.

Every Moment And Every Age,
Every Day And Every Night He Comes, Comes, Ever Comes.

Many A Song Have I Sung In Many A Mood Of Mind,
But All Their Notes Have Always Proclaimed,
`he Comes, Comes, Ever Comes.'

In The Fragrant Days Of Sunny April Through The Forest Path He Comes,
Comes, Ever Comes.

In The Rainy Gloom Of July Nights On The Thundering Chariot Of Clouds
He Comes, Comes, Ever Comes.

In Sorrow After Sorrow It Is His Steps That Press Upon My Heart,
And It Is The Golden Touch Of His Feet That Makes My Joy To Shine.

The Day Was When I Did Not Keep Myself In Readiness For Thee

The Day Was When I Did Not Keep Myself In Readiness For Thee;
And Entering My Heart Unbidden Even As One Of The Common Crowd,
Unknown To Me, My King, Thou Didst Press The Signet Of Eternity Upon
Many A Fleeting Moment Of My Life.

And Today When By Chance I Light Upon Them And See Thy Signature,
I Find They Have Lain Scattered In The Dust Mixed With The Memory Of
Joys And Sorrows Of My Trivial Days Forgotten.

Thou Didst Not Turn In Contempt From My Childish Play Among Dust,
And The Steps That I Heard In My Playroom
Are The Same That Are Echoing From Star To Star.

She Who Ever Had Remained In The Depth Of My Being

She Who Ever Had Remained In The Depth Of My Being,
In The Twilight Of Gleams And Of Glimpses;
She Who Never Opened Her Veils In The Morning Light,
Will Be My Last Gift To Thee, My God, Folded In My Final Song.

Words Have Wooed Yet Failed To Win Her;
Persuasion Has Stretched To Her Its Eager Arms In Vain.

I Have Roamed From Country To Country Keeping Her In The Core Of My Heart,
And Around Her Have Risen And Fallen The Growth And Decay Of My Life.

Over My Thoughts And Actions, My Slumbers And Dreams,
She Reigned Yet Dwelled Alone And Apart.

Many A Man Knocked At My Door And Asked For Her
And Turned Away In Despair.

There Was None In The World Who Ever Saw Her Face To Face,
And She Remained In Her Loneliness Waiting For Thy Recognition.

Deliverance Is Not For Me In Renunciation

Deliverance Is Not For Me In Renunciation.
I Feel The Embrace Of Freedom In A Thousand Bonds Of Delight.

Thou Ever Pourest For Me The Fresh Draught Of Thy Wine Of Various
Colours And Fragrance, Filling This Earthen Vessel To The Brim.

My World Will Light Its Hundred Different Lamps With Thy Flame
And Place Them Before The Altar Of Thy Temple.

No, I Will Never Shut The Doors Of My Senses.
The Delights Of Sight And Hearing And Touch Will Bear Thy Delight.

Yes, All My Illusions Will Burn Into Illumination Of Joy,
And All My Desires Ripen Into Fruits Of Love.

On The Seashore Of Endless Worlds Children Meet

On The Seashore Of Endless Worlds Children Meet.
The Infinite Sky Is Motionless Overhead
And The Restless Water Is Boisterous.
On The Seashore Of Endless Worlds
The Children Meet With Shouts And Dances.

They Build Their Houses With Sand
And They Play With Empty Shells.
With Withered Leaves They Weave Their Boats
And Smilingly Float Them On The Vast Deep.
Children Have Their Play On The Seashore Of Worlds.

They Know Not How To Swim, They Know Not How To Cast Nets.
Pearl Fishers Dive For Pearls, Merchants Sail In Their Ships,
While Children Gather Pebbles And Scatter Them Again.
They Seek Not For Hidden Treasures, They Know Not How To Cast Nets.

The Sea Surges Up With Laughter
And Pale Gleams The Smile Of The Sea Beach.
Death-dealing Waves Sing Meaningless Ballads To The Children,
Even Like A Mother While Rocking Her Baby's Cradle.
The Sea Plays With Children,
And Pale Gleams The Smile Of The Sea Beach.

On The Seashore Of Endless Worlds Children Meet.
Tempest Roams In The Pathless Sky,
Ships Get Wrecked In The Trackless Water,
Death Is Abroad And Children Play.
On The Seashore Of Endless Worlds Is The
Great Meeting Of Children.