Thursday, April 15, 2010

Thursdays With Tagore - April 15



Every Thursday, I shall read one of Tagore's poems as translated in this book or some other poem I can find. I shall post some lines from the poem and perhaps a detail of how I liked this poem or not. Any others who want to join in this meme are absolutely welcome to do so!

Freedom from fear is the freedom
I claim for you my motherland!
Freedom from the burden of the ages, bending your head,
breaking your back, blinding your eyes to the beckoning
call of the future;
Freedom from the shackles of slumber wherewith
you fasten yourself in night's stillness,
mistrusting the star that speaks of truth's adventurous paths;
freedom from the anarchy of destiny
whole sails are weakly yielded to the blind uncertain winds,
and the helm to a hand ever rigid and cold as death.
Freedom from the insult of dwelling in a puppet's world,
where movements are started through brainless wires,
repeated through mindless habits,
where figures wait with patience and obedience for the 
master of show,
to be stirred into a mimicry of life.

Of all of Tagore's poems, I love most his patriotic poems. This is such a beautiful wish for his country, much on the lines of Where The Mind Is Without Fear, which is one of my favourite poems ever. 

This is such a wonderful line. So much meaning and beauty in 10 words!
Freedom from the insult of dwelling in a puppet's world

3 comments:

Alyce said...

That is a beautiful poem. And freedom from fear such an important issue.

Vaishnavi said...

It is so beautiful..I loved the last six lines..

Kals said...

Alyce - Absolutely :)

Vaishnavi - Those are my favourite lines too :)

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