Rabindranath Tagore translations

The Seashore Gathering
by Rabindranath Tagore
loose translation by Michael R. Burch
 

On the seashores of endless worlds, earth's children converge.

The infinite sky is motionless, the restless waters boisterous.

On the seashores of endless worlds earth's children gather to dance with joyous cries and pirouettes.

They build sand castles and play with hollow shells.

They weave boats out of withered leaves and laughingly float them out over the vast deep.

Earth's children play gaily on the seashores of endless worlds.

They do not know, yet, how to cast nets or swim.

Divers fish for pearls and merchants sail their ships, while earth's children skip, gather pebbles and scatter them again.

They are unaware of hidden treasures, nor do they know how to cast nets, yet.

The sea surges with laughter, smiling palely on the seashore.

Death-dealing waves sing the children meaningless songs, like a mother lullabying her baby's cradle.

The sea plays with the children, smiling palely on the seashore.

On the seashores of endless worlds earth's children meet.

Tempests roam pathless skies, ships lie wrecked in uncharted waters, death wanders abroad, and still the children play.

On the seashores of endless worlds there is a great gathering of earth's children.

This Dog
by Rabindranath Tagore
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Each morning this dog,
who has become quite attached to me,
sits silently at my feet
until, gently caressing his head,
I acknowledge his company.

This simple recognition gives my companion such joy
he shudders with sheer delight.

Among all languageless creatures
he alone has seen through man entire:
has seen beyond what is good or bad in him
to such a depth he can lay down his life
for the sake of love alone.

Now it is he who shows me the way
through this unfathomable world throbbing with life.

When I see his deep devotion,
his offer of his whole being,
I fail to comprehend...

How, through sheer instinct,
has he discovered whatever it is that he knows?

With his anxious piteous looks
he cannot communicate his understanding
and yet somehow has succeeded in conveying to me
out of the entire creation
the true loveworthiness of man.

"This Dog" appeared in the poetry collection Arogya by Rabindranath Tagore.