STRAY BIRDS

A UTHO R or
“
G I TANJ AL I ,
'
" r e.

W I TH I I
" R O NT S P ECE B Y WI LLY PO G ANY

M A C M I LL A N A N D C C .
,
I
LI M T E D

ST. M A R T I N S S T R E E T , LO N D O N
’

I 9 1 7
C O PYR I GH T
 1

S T RA Y b ir ds of s ummer come to my
win dow to s ing and fly aw ay .

A nd yellow l eaves of autumn w h ic h ,

have no s ongs flutter and fal l t here

,

w ith a s igh .

O R OU PE of l ittle vagrants of
T

worl d l eave your fo otprints in

,

words .

THE world pu t s off its mas k of vas t

n ess t o its lover .

I t becomes smal l as one song as one

,

kiss of the et ernal .

a 1
2 S T RAY BIRDS

ITis the tears o f the earth that keep

her smiles in bloom .

THE mighty deser t is burning for

the love of a blade o f grass w h o
shakes her head and l aughs and fli es
away .

I" you shed tears when you m iss

the s un you also miss the stars
, .

TH E sands in your way beg for your

song and your movement dancing ,

water W il l you carry the b u rden of

.

thei r lameness "

 S T RAY BI RD S 3

H E R wistful face haun t s my dreams

night .

O NCE we dreamt that we were

strangers .

W e wake up t o find that we were

dear t o each other .

10

SO RR OW is hushed into peace in

my heart like the eveni ng among the
sil ent trees .

11

SOM E u nseen fingers like an idle

,

bree" e are playing upon my heart the

,

music o f the ripples .

4 S T RAY BIRD S

12

W H A T l anguage is thine 0 sea

,

The language of eternal " uestion .

"

W hat language is thy answer 0 sky

,

The l angu age of e tern al sil ence .

"

13

L IS T E N m y heart to the whispers

, ,

of the world with whi c h it makes l ove

to you .

14

T H E myst er y of creation is like the

darkness of night — it is great D e .

lu s ion s of knowled ge are like the fog

of the morning .

15

Donot seat y o ur love upon a preci

pice because it is high .
 STR AY BI RD S 5

16

I at my window this morning

SIT

where the world like a passer b y stops -

for a moment nods to m e and goes

, .

17

THE S E l ittl e though ts are the rustl e

of l eaves ; they have t heir whisper of
j oy in my mi nd .

18

W HA T you are you do not see , w ha t

you see is your shadow

19

M Y wishes are fo ol s they shout,

across thy songs my M aster

, .

L e t me but l isten .
6 S T RAY BIRD S

20

I NN O T choose the best

CA .

The best chooses me .

THE Y thr o w shadows befo re

them who c ar ry lantern
back .

22

THA T I ex ist is a perpetu al surprise

whi ch is life .

23

W E the rustling leaves have a

, ,

vo i c e that answer s the storms , but

"
who are y o u s o silent "
I am a mer e fl owe r .
"
 ST R A Y BI R D S 7

24

R E S T belongs to the as the

eyelids to the ey es
.

25

MA N is a born child his power is

,

the power of growth .

26

G OD ex pects answers for the flowers

he sends us not for the s un and t he
,

earth .

27

THE light that pl ays like a naked

,

child among th e green leaves happil y

,

knows not that man can lie .

8 S T R AY BI R D S

28

O B EA U T Y find thyself in l ove n ot

, ,

in the flattery of thy mirror .

29

M Y heart beats her waves at the

shore of the world and writes upon
it her signature in tea rs with the
words I l ove thee
, .
"

30

M OON for what do you wait "

,

To salute the s un for who m I must

"
make way .

31

THE trees come up to m y window

like the yearning v oice of the dumb
earth .
 S T R AY B I R D S 9

32

H rs ow n mornings are new surprises

to G od .

33

L I" E fin ds its wealth by the c l aims

of the world and its worth by the
,

cl aims of l ove .

34

THE dry river bed finds no thanks

-

for its p as t .

35

THE bird w ishes it were a c l oud .

The cl oud wishes it were a bird .

36

THE waterfal l sings I find my,

song when I fin d my freedom

, .
10 ST R AY BIRD S

37

I CA NNO T tell why this hear t lan

u is h es in silen c e
g .

I t is for small needs it never asks ,

or knows or remembers .

38

WO M A N when you move about in

,

yo ur h o usehold service y o ur limbs sing

like a hill stream among its pebbl es .

39

THE sun goes to cross the Western

sea leaving its last sal utation to the
,

E ast .

40

DO blame your food because

n ot

you have no appetite .

 ST R AY BI R D S 11

41

trees like the l ongings

,

a tiptoe t o peep
-

42

YOU s miled and talked to

nothing and I felt that fo r
had been waiting l ong .

43

THE fish in the water is sil ent the ,

animal on the earth is noisy the bird

,

in the air is singing ,

B u t M an has in him the silence o f

the sea the n o ise of the earth and the
,

music of the air .

12 ST RAY BI R D S

44

THE world rushes on over the str i ngs

of the lingering heart maki ng the music

of sadness .

45

H E has made his weap ons

When his weapons win
feat ed hims el f .

46

G OD finds h i ms elf by creating .

47

S HA D OW with her veil drawn follows

, ,

Light in secret meekness with her

,

silen t steps of love .

 S T RAY BIRD S

52

MA N does n o t reveal himself in

his history he struggles up through
,

it
.

53

W H ILE t he gl as s lamp rebukes the

earthen for calling it c ousin the moon
,

rises and the glass lamp with a bland

, ,

smile cal l s her

, , M y dear dear
,

sister .

54

L I KE the m eeting of the seagulls

and the waves we meet and come near .

T he seagul ls fly off; the waves ro ll

away and we depart .
 S T RAY B IRD S 15

55

M Y day is done and I am like a

,

boat drawn on the beach l istening to

,

the dance music of the tide in the

-

56

L I " E is given to us we earn it by

,

57

W E come neares t to the great when

we are great in humil ity .

58

THE sparrow is sorry for the pea

cock at t he burden of its tail .
16 S T R A Y BI R D S

59

NEVER be afraid of the moments

th us sings t he voice of the everlas t ing .

60

T H E hurricane seeks the shortest

road by the no r o ad and sudden l y
-
,

en ds its search in the Nowhere .

61

TA K E my wine in my own cup ,

I t l oses its wreath of foam when

p oured in t o t hat of others .

62

THE Perfect decks itself in beau ty

for the love of the I mperfec t .
 S T RAY BI R D S 17

63

G OD says to man I heal yo u there

,

fore I hurt love y ou therefore punish

, .
"

64

THA NK the flame for its l ight b ut ,

do n ot fo rget the lampholder standing

in the shade with constan c y of patience .

65

T I N Y grass yo ur steps are smal l

, ,

but yo u possess the earth under your

tread.

66

THE infant flower opens its bud

and cries “
D ear W orld please do
, ,

not fade .
"
18 S T RAY BI R D S

67

G OD grows weary of great kingdo ms ,

but never of l ittle flowers.

68

W R ON G cann o t afford
R ight can.

69

"
I G I VE my wh o le wat er in j oy,

sings the waterfall ,

“
though little o f
"
it is enough for the thirst y .

70

W HERE is the fountain that throws

up these fl owers in a ceaseless outbreak
o f e c stasy
 ST R AY BI R D S 19

71

THE woodcu tt er s
’
ax e begged
handle from the tree .

The tree gave i t .

72

IN my soli tude of heart I feel the

sigh of this widowed evening veiled
with mist and rain .

73

CH A S T I T Y
is a wealth that comes
from abundance of l ove .

74

THE mist l ike l ove pl ays upon the

, ,

heart of the hills and brings out sur

prises of beauty .
20 S T RAY B IRD S

75

W E read the world wron g and

that it de c eives us.

76

THE p o et wind is out over the sea

and the fo rest to seek h is own voice
.

77

E VER Y
child comes with the message
that G od is n ot y et d iscouraged o f
man .

78

grass seek s her crowd

tree seeks his solitude

22 S T RAY BI R DS

84

IN death the many becomes o n e ;

in life the one be c omes man y .

R eligion wi l l be one when G od is

dead .

85

THE art ist the l over of Nature,

therefore b e her slave and her

master .

86

H ow far are y ou from me ,

"
" ruit "
“
I am hidden in y o ur heart ,

" l ower .

87

TH I S l ongi ng is for the one

felt in the dark but not seen
,

day .
 S T RAY B IRDS 23

88

Y OU are the big drop of dew under

the lo t us leaf I am the smaller on e on
,

its upper side said the dewdrop to

,

the lake .

89

THE scabbard is c ontent t o be du ll

when it protects the keenness of the
sword .

IN d ark n e s s O ne appears as
unifo rm ; in th e the O n e appears
as man ifo l d .

91

TH E great earth makes herself hos

p itable with the help of the grass .
24 S T R AY BI R D S

92

THE birth and death of the leaves

are the rapid whirls of the eddy whose
wider circles m ove sl owly among stars .

93

PO WER said to the world ,

“
Y ou
mine .
"

The world kept it p risoner on her

throne .

Love said to the world “

I ,

"
thine .

T he worl d the freedom of

her ho use .

94

T H E mist is l ike the earth s des ire

'

I t hides the s u n for wh om she c r ies .

 S T R AY B IRD S 25

95

BE stil l my heart these great trees

, ,

are prayers .

96

THE noise of the momen t scoff s at

the m u sic of the E tern al .

97

I T H I NK of o ther ages t hat floated

upon the stream of life and love and
death and are forg otten an d I feel
,

the freedom of passing away .

98

T H E sadness of my soul is
’
bride s veil
.

I t waits to be lifted in the nigh t .

26 ST R AY B IRDS

99

D E ATH
’
stamp gives value
s

c o in of life ; making it possible

with life wh at is tr ul y precious .

1 00

THE cloud sto od humbly in a corner

of the sk y.

The morning crowned it

dour .

1 01

THE dust re c eives insult and in

return o ffer s her flowers .

1 02

Do not linger to gather flowers t o

keep t hem but walk o n for flowers
, ,

will keep themsel ves blooming all your

way .
 S T RAY BI R D S 27

1 03

R OO T S are the branches dow n In

t he eart h .

B ranches are roots in the air .

1 04

THE music of the far away -

flutters ar o und the A utumn

its former nes t .

1 05

DO insult y our friend by lend

n ot

ing him merits from your own p o cket .

1 06

THE touch of the namel ess days

c lings to my heart like mosses round
t he o l d tree .
28 S T R AY BI R D S

1 07

THE echo mo cks her origin to prove

s h e is the original .

1 08

G OD is ashamed when the prosperous

boasts of H is sp ecial favour .

1 09

I C A S T my shadow upon
ow n

path because I have a lamp that

,

not be en ligh t ed .

110

MA N goes into the noisy crowd to

drown his o w n clam o ur of sil en c e.
30 S T RAY BIRD S

115

THE power that boasts of its mis

chiefs is laughed at by the yellow
l eaves that fal l and c l ouds tha t pass
,

by.

116

THE earth b u rn s to me to d a y in the

s un like a woman at her spinning
, ,

some ball ad o f the ancient t ime in

a forgotten t ongue .

1 17

THE grass blade is worthy of the

-

great w orl d where it grows .

118

D REA M is a wife who must talk ,

S leep is a husband who silently

 ST R AY BIRD S 31

119

TH E nigh t kisses the fading day

whispe ring to h is ear I am death y o u r
, ,
"
mother I am t o give you fresh birth
. .

1 20

I " EE L thy bea uty dark ,

that of the loved woman when she

has pu t out the l amp .

1 21

I C A RR Y in my worl d that flourishes

the worlds that have fail ed .

1 22

D E A R friend I fee l the silen c e of

,

your great thoughts of many a deep

en in
g eventide on this beach when I
l isten t o these waves .
32 S T RAY BIRD S

1 23

THE bird th inks it is an a ct of kind

ness to give the fi s h a lift in the air .

1 24

IN
the mo on th o u sendest thy l ove
l etters to me said the night to the
,

s un .

“
leave my answers in tears upon
I
the grass .

1 25

THE Great is a born child ; when

dies he gives his great childhood
the worl d .

1 26

NO T hammer strokes but dan c e of-

,

the water sings the pebbl es into per

fe ction .
 STR AY BI R D S 33

1 27

B EE S sip honey from flowers an d

hum their thanks when they l eave .

The gaudy butterfly is sure that the

flowers owe thanks to him .

1 28

To be outspoken is easy when you

do not wait to speak the comp l ete

1 29

A S K S the Possibl e t o the I mpossibl e ,

Wher e is your dwel ling pl ace -

In the dreams of the impo t ent ,

comes the answer .

1 30

I" you s h ut you r door t o al l errors

truth will be shut ou t .
34 S T RAY BI R D S

1 31

I HE A R
some rustl e of t hing s behin d
my sadness of heart — I cannot s ee
,

the m .

1 32

L E IS U RE in its ac t ivi ty is work .

The stil ln ess of the s ea stirs

1 33

T H E l eaf becomes flower

loves .

T he flower be comes
worship s .

1 34

T H E roots below the earth claim no

rewards for making the branches fruit
fu l .
 35

TH IS rainy the wind is

I look bran ches and

p on der over the greatn ess of all things .

1 36

S T O RM of midn igh t l ike a,

chi l d awakened in the un t i m ely

has beg u n t o pl ay a n d sho u t .

1 37

TH OU rais est t hy waves vain l y t o

fol low thy l over 0 s ea thou l onel y
, ,

bride Of the storm .

36 S T RAY B IR D S

1 38

I
"
ashamed of my emptiness
AM ,

said the W ord to the W ork .

“
I know how poor I am when I s ee
you said the W ork to the W ord
, .

1 39

TIME is the wea l th of change but ,

the cl ock in its parody makes it mere

change and no wealth .

1 40

TRUT H in her dress finds facts

tight .

I n fi ction s he moves with ease .

38 S T RAY BI R D S

1 44

O NE voice h as
s ad among
the ruins of the years .

It sin gs t o m e in
"
l oved yo u .

1 45

THE flami ng fire warn s me

its own gl ow .

S ave me from t he dying

hidden u n der ashes .

1 46

I H A VE my stars in the s k y ,

B ut oh fo r my littl e l amp u nli t in

my h o u se .
 ST R A Y B I R D S 39

THE d u st of the dead words

W ash thy sou l with s il e n ce .

1 48

G A PS are l eft in l ife through

comes t he s ad m u sic of death .

1 49

THE world has opened its heart of

l ight in the morning .

C ome out my heart with thy love

, ,
40 STR AY B IR DS

1 50

MY tho ugh t s shimmer with these

shimmering leaves and my heart sings
with the t ouch of this sunlight ; my
l ife is glad to be float ing with all things
into t he blue of S pace into the dark of
,

1 51

G OD S great p ower is in the

’

bree" e not in the s torm

,
.

1 52

TH IS is a dream in which things are

al l l o ose and they oppress I shall
.

find them gathered in thee when I

awake and shall be free .
 ST R A Y BI R D S 41

1 53

W HO is there t o take up my
duties 7 asked the setting s u n .

I shall do what I can my M aster

"

, ,

said t he eart hen lamp .

1 54

BY pl ucking her petal s you do n o t

gather the beauty of the flower .

1 55

S ILE N C E will c arry your voi c e l ike

t he nest that holds the s l eeping birds .

1 56

T H E Great walks with the S m al l

without fear .

The M iddling keeps al oo f .

42 STR A Y B I R D S

1 57

THE nigh t opens the flowers in secret

and all ows the day to get than ks .

1 58

POWER takes as ingrati tu de t he writh

ings of i ts vic ti ms .

1 59

W HE N we rej oice in o ur fuln ess ,

then we can par t with o ur fr uits wi th

j y
o

1 60

T H E rain drops kissed the eart h and

whispered “
, W e are thy homesick
children mother come b ack to thee
, ,

"
from the heave n .
 ST R A Y BI R D S 43

1 61

THE cobweb p retends t o catch dew

drops and catches flies .

1 62

L O VE " when you come with the

bur n ing l amp of pain in y our hand I ,

can s ee your face a n d kn ow you as

b l iss
.

1 63

T H E l earned say that your l igh t s

will one day be no m ore said the fi re
"

fly t o the stars .

The stars m ade n o answer .

1 64

IN the dusk of t he evening the bird

of some ear ly dawn co m es t o t he nes t
of my silence .
44 S T R A Y BI R DS

1 65

TH OUGH T S pass in my min d

flocks o f ducks in the s k y
.

I hear the voice of their wings .

1 66

THE canal loves to t hink that rivers

ex ist so l el y to supp ly it with

1 67

T H E worl d has kissed my so ul with

i ts pain asking for its ret urn in songs
, .

1 68

THA T which oppresses me is it my

,

so ul trying to c ome out in the o pen ,

or the s oul of the world knockin g at

my heart for its entran c e "
46 ST R AY B I R D S

1 73

W H O drives me forward l ike fate

The M yself stri d ing on my back .
"

1 74

THE clouds fil l the w at erc up s of the

river hiding themsel ves in the distant
,

hil l s
.

1 75

I S PILL water from my water j ar as I

walk on my way ,

V ery litt l e remain s for m y home .

1 76

THE wa ter in a vessel is sparkl i ng ;

the water in the sea is dark .

T he small truth has w ords that are

clear ; the great truth h as great sil ence .
 S T RAY B I R DS 47

1 77

YOUR smil e was the flowers of your

own fiel ds your talk was the rustl e
,

of your own mo u ntain pines but yo ur

,

heart w as the woman we all

kn ow .

1 78

IT is t he l i ttl e thin gs
behin d for m y l oved
things are for everyone .

1 79

WOM A N tho u hast encircl ed

,

world s heart with the depth of

’

tears as the s ea has the earth .

48 S T R AY B I R D S

1 80

THE sunshine greets me with a smile .

The rain his s ad sister talks t o my

, ,

heart .

1 81

M Y flower of the day dropped its

p etals forgotten .

I n the evening it ripens into a golde n

fruit of memory .

1 82

I like the road in the nigh t listen

AM

ing to the footfall s of its memories in

sil ence .

1 83

T H E evening sky to
window and a lighted
,

waiting behind it .
 1 84

H E who is too busy doing good finds

ti me to be good .

1 85

I the autumn cloud empty

AM ,

rain see my fulness in the field

,

ripen ed rice .

1 86

THE Y hat ed and kil l ed and men

praised them .

in shame h astens to
B u t G od
its memory under the green grass .

1 87

T O E S are the fingers that have for

saken their pas t .
50 STR AY BI R D S

1 88

DA R KNE SS travels towards

b l in dness towards death .

1 89

T HE pet dog suspects t he

for sche min g to take its place .

1 90

SIT still m y heart do not raise your

, ,

dust .

L et the world find its way to you .

1 91

T H E bow whispers to the arrow be

fore it speeds forth “
Y our freedom
is mine .
 ST R A Y B I R D S 51

1 92

WO M A N in yo u r l aughter you have

,

t he m usic of the fountain of life .

1 93

A M I ND al l l ogic is l ike a knife all

blade .

It m akes the hand bleed t ha t uses i t .

1 94

G OD l oves m an s lam p l ights

’

than his own grea t s tars .

1 95

TH IS world is the world of wild stor m s

kept ta m e with the m us ic of bea uty .
52 S T R AY BIRD S

1 96

M Y heart is like the golden casket

"
of thy kiss , said the sunset cloud to
the s un .

1 97

touching you may kill by

BY ,

ing away you may p ossess .

1 98

THE cricket s chirp and the patter

’

of rain c ome to me through the d ark ,

like the rustl e of dreams from my past

youth .

1 99

I HA VE l ost my dewdrop
"
cries the ,

flower to the morning sky that has lost

all its stars .
54 S T R AY BIRD S

2 04

T H E song feel s the infinite in the air ,

the picture in the earth the poem in

,

the air and the eart h

" or it s words have mean ing that
wal ks an d music tha t soars .

2 05

W HE N the s un goes down t o the

W est the E ast of his morning s ta n ds
,

before hi m in sil ence .

2 06

LE T me not put myself wrongly to

my world and set it against me .

2 07

PRA IS E shames me for I secre tl y

,

beg for it .
 ST R AY B I R D S 55

2 08

LE T my doing nothin g when I have

n o thing to do become un troubled in its
depth of peace like the even in g in the
seashore when the wat er is sil ent .

2 09

M A I D E N your simp l icity l ike the

, ,

bl ueness of the lake , reveals yo ur

depth of tru th .

21 0

THE bes t does not come alone .

I t comes with the company of the all .

21 1

G OD S righ t hand is gentle

’

, but
terrible is his left hand .
56 S T RAY B IRD S

21 2

M Y evening came among the alien

trees and sp oke in a language which m y
morning stars (11d not kn ow .

21 3

NI GH T S darkness is a bag t hat burs t s

’

with the gold of the dawn .

21 4

O URdesire lends the c olours of the

rainbo w to the mer e mists and vapo urs
of life .

21 5

G OD waits to win back his ow n

fl owers as g ifts from man s hands

’
.
 S T RAY BIRD S 57

21 6

M Y sad tho ughts tease me asking

.

me the ir own names .

21 7

THE service of the fru it is precious ,

the service of the flower is sweet but ,

let my service be the servi c e of the

leaves in its shade of humbl e devotion .

21 8

M Y heart has S pread its sails to the

idle winds for the shadowy isl and of
A nyw here .

21 9

M E N are cruel but M an is k ind

, .
58 ST R AY B I R DS

2 20

M A K E me thy cup and let my ful ness

be for thee and for thine .

221

THE s torm is l ike the cry of some god

in pain whose l ove the earth refuses .

2 22

THE world does n ot l eak because

death is n ot a crack .

223

L I " E has become richer by the love

that has been lost .
 59

22 4

M Y friend your great heart shone

,

with the sunrise of the E ast l ike the

s n owy summit of a l onel y t he

2 25

THE fo untain of death m akes t he

st il l water of l ife p lay .

226

TH O S E who have everything

th ee ,
-
my G od
laugh at those
,

have nothing b u t thyself .

2 27

THE movement of l ife has its rest in

its own music .
60 S T R AY BI R D S

2 28

K IC K S onl y raise dus t and

from the earth .

22 9

O UR names are the l ight that glows

o n the s ea waves at night and then dies

Without l eaving its S ign ature .

23 0

LE T him only s ee the

has eyes to se e the rose .

23 1

S ETthe bird s wings with gold and

’

it will never again s o ar in the sky .

62 ST RAY BIRD S

236

S M OKE boasts to the sky and As hes ,

to the earth that they are brothers to

,

the fire .

2 37

THE rain drop whispered t o the

mine Keep me in your heart
,

"
ever .

"
The j asmine sighed “
Ala s , ,

dropped to the ground .

23 8

T I M I D thoughts do not be ,

me .

I am a poe t .

2 39

THE dim silence of my m ind seems

filled with c rickets chirp —the grey ’

twilight of sound .
 S T RAY B I R D S 63

2 40

RO C K E T S your insult to the

,

fo l lows yourself back to the earth .

2 41

TH OU hast l ed me through my
crowded travels of the day t o my
evening s l oneliness
’
.

I wait for i t s meaning through the

stilln ess of the n ight.

2 42

TH IS l ife is the crossing of a s ea,

where we meet in the same narrow ship .

I n death we rea c h the shore and go

to our different worl ds .

2 43

THE stream of truth flows thro ugh

i ts channels of mistakes .
64 S T R AY BIRD S

2 44

M Y heart is homesick day for the

t o -

o n e sweet hour across the s ea of time .

2 45

THE bird s ong is the ech o of the

-

morning light back fr o m the earth .

2 46

A RE
you t o o proud t o kiss me " "

the morning light asks the buttercup .

2 47

H O W may I sing to thee and wor

'

ship 0 S un
, asked the little flower .

“
B y the simple silence of thy purity ,

answered the sun .

 ST R A Y BI R D S 65

2 48

MAN is worse than animal when

he is an animal .

2 49

D A R K cl ouds become heaven s ’

flowers when kissed by l igh t .

25 0

LE T not the sword blade mock its

-

han dl e for being bl un t .

2 51

THE night s silence l ike a deep lamp

’

, ,

is burning with the light of its milky

way .

"
66 S T RAY B I R DS

A ROUN D the sunny island of Life

swells day and night death s limitless ’

song of the s ea.

not this mountain like a flower

IS ,

with its petals of hil ls drinking the

,

sunlight

515 4

T HE
real with its meaning read wrong
and emphasis misplaced is the unreal .

£455

I N D y our beauty my heart from

" , ,

the w orld s m o vement like the boat

’

that has the gra c e of the wind and the

vvat er.
 S T R AY BI RDS 67

2 56

THE eyes are not proud of their sigh t

bu t of their eyeglasses .

25 7

I LI VE in this l ittle wor l d of mine and

am afraid to make it the least less .

Lift me int o thy world and let me have

the freedom gladly to l ose my al l .

2 58

THE fal se c an never grow int o tru th

by gro n in power .

259

M Y heart with its l apping waves of

,

song longs to caress this green w orld

,

of the sunn y day .

68 S T R AY BI RD S

260

WA YSI D E grass l ove the star then

, ,

your dreams wil l come out in flowers .

2 61

LE T your musi c like a sword pier c e

, ,

the noise of the market t o its heart .

2 62

THE trembling leaves of this tree

touch my heart like the fingers of an
i nfan t child
.

263

TH IS sadness of my s o u l is her bride s

’

veil .

I t waits to be lifted in the night .

70 S T RAY BI R D S

2 68

D EA T H bel ongs to l ife as birth d o es

.

The walk is in the raising of the foot

as in the laying of it d own .

2 69

I HA VE learnt the simple meaning of

thy whispers in flowers and sunshine
tea c h me to kno w thy w ords in pain
and death .

270

’
THE night s flower was late when the
mornin g kissed her s h e shivered and
,

sighed and dropped to the ground .

27 1

THR O U GH the sadness of all things

I hear the c rooning of the E ternal
M other .
 S T RAY BIRD S 71

272

I C A M E t o y o ur Shore as a stranger I ,

lived in y our house as a guest I leave ,

your door as a friend my earth

,
.

27 3

LE T my thoughts come to you when ,

I am gone l ike the afterglow of sunset

,

at the margin of starr y silence .

27 4

L I GH T in my heart the evening star

of rest and then l et the night whisper
t o me of love .

27 5

I A M a child in the dark .

I stretc h my hands thr o ugh

cover l et of night for thee M other
, .
72 S T RAY BIRD S

27 6

THE day of work is done .

face in your arms M other

, .

L et me dream .

27 7

THE lamp o f meeting burns long ; it

goes out in a moment at the part ing .

278

word keep for me in th y silence

O NE ,

0 W orld when I am dead

,
“
I have ,

"
l oved .

27 9

W E live in this world when we l ove

 S T RAY BIRD S 73

28 0

LE T the dead have the immortality

of fame b ut the l iving the immortality
,

of l ove
.

28 1

I H A VE seen thee as the half

awakened child sees his mother in the
dusk of the dawn and then smiles and
sleeps again .

28 2

I S H A LL die again an d again to k n ow

that l ife is in ex haustible
.

2 83

W H ILE I was passing with the crowd

in t he road I s aw thy smil e from the
bal con y and I san g and forgo t all noise.
74 S T RAY BIRD S

28 4

L O VE is life in its fulness

cup with its wine .

2 85

THEY light their own lamps and sing

their w o rds in their temples
ow n .

B u t the birds sing thy name in thine

own m o r ning light — for th y name is
,

j oy

286

L EA D me in the c entre o f thy silence

to fil l my heart with songs .

2 87

LE T them live w h o c hoose in their

own hissing w o rld o f fi rew or ks .

M y heart longs for th y sta r s my G od

, .
 S T RAY BI RD S 75

2 88

L OVE S pain sang round my life

’

like the unplumbed sea and l ove s j oy

,
’

sang l ike birds in its flowering groves .

289

PU T out the l amp when thou w ish est .

I shall know thy darkness and shall

290

W HE N I stand before thee at the

’

day s end thou shalt see my scars and

know tha t I had my wounds and also
my heal ing .

29 1

SO M E day I shal l sing to thee in the

sunrise of some other world “
I have
,

seen thee before in the light of the

earth in the l ove of man
, .
76 S T R AY BIRD S

292

CL OU D S come floating into my l ife

from other days no longer to shed rain
or usher storm bu t to give co l our to
m y s u nse t sk y .

29 3

TR U T H raises against itself the storm

that scatte rs its seeds broadcast .

29 4

THE of the last nig ht has

crowned morning with g olden
peace .

29 5

TRUT H seems to co m e with

word and th e final word gives
its nex t .
78 S T R AY BIRD S

3 00

G OD waits for man to regain

childh oo d in wisdom .

3 01

LE T me feel this world as

taking form then my l ove will
,

3 02

TH Y sunshine smiles
p o n the winter
u

days of m y heart never d oubting o f its

,

spring flowers .

3 03

G OD kisses the finite in his love and

man the infinite .

3 04

TH OU c rossest desert lands of barren

years to reach th e moment of f ulfil
ment .
 S T RAY BIRD S 79

3 05

G OD S silence ripens man s tho ugh t s

’ ’

into spee c h .

3 06

T HOU wilt fin d E ternal Tr ave ll er

, ,

marks of thy footsteps a cross my s ongs .

3 07

L ET me not S hame thee " ather who

, ,

disp lay es t thy g l or y in thy children .

3 08

CHEER L E SS is the day the ligh t

,

under fro wning cl ouds is like a pun

ish ed child with traces of tears on its
pale cheeks and the c ry o f the wind is
,

like the c ry of a wo unded world B ut .

I know I am travel l ing to meet my

" riend.
80 S T RAY B IRDS

3 09

TO N I GH T there is a s t ir among the

-

pal m leaves a swell in the sea " ull

, ,

M oon l ike the heart thr ob of the

,

world " r o m what unknown sky hast

.

thou carried in thy silence the ach ing

secret of love 7

31 0

I D RE A M of a star an island of lig ht

, ,

where I S hall be born and in the depth

of its " ui ckening leisure my life will
ripen its w orks like the rice fi eld in the
-

autumn sun .

31 1

THE smel l of the wet earth in the

rain rises l ike a great chant of praise
from the v o i c el ess multit ude of the
in sign ificant .
 ST R A Y BI R D S 81

31 2

TH A T love can ever lose is a fact

that we c annot accept as truth .

31 3

W E sh al l know s ome day that death

can never rob us of that whi c h our
soul has gained for her gains are one
,

with hersel f .

31 4

G OD comes to me in the dusk of my

evening with the flowers from my pas t
kept fresh in his basket .

31 5

W HE N all the strings of my l ife will

be tuned my M aster then at every
, ,

touch of thine will come out the m usic

of lo ve
.
82 S T RAY BIRD S

31 6

LE T me live trul y my L o rd so that

, ,

d eath to me bec ome true .

31 7

M A N S hist or y is waiting in patience

’

for the t r iumph of the insulted man .

31 8

I " EE L thy ga" e upon my heart this

moment like the sunn y silen c e of the
m orning upon the lonely fiel d whose
harvest is over .

31 9

I L O N G for the I sland of S ongs a cross

this heaving S ea of S houts .
 S T RAY BIRD S 83

3 20

THE prelude of the night is c om

m en c ed in the musi c of the sunset in ,

its so l emn hymn to the ineffable dark .

321

I H AVE scaled the peak and found

’
no shelter in fame s bleak and barren
height. Lead me my Guide before
, ,

the light fades into the valley of

,

r e life s harvest mellows in t o

’

" uiet whe

gol den wisdom .

3 22

TH I N G S look phantastic in this dim

ness o f the dusk the S pires whose
bases are l ost in the dark and tree tops
like blot s o f ink I shal l wait for the
.

morning and wake up to see thy city

in the light.
84 S T RAY B IRD S

3 23

I H A VE su ffered and despaired

known death and I am glad that I
in this great world .

32 4

THERE are trac t s in m y life that

bare and silent They are the o pen
.

S pa c es where my busy days had their

l ight and air .

3 25

R E L E A S E me from my unfulfilled
past clinging to me from behind making
death difficult .

32 6

LE T this be my las t word that I ,

trust in th y love .

Pr i n ted by R . R . C LA R K , L I M I TE D , E d i nbu rg h
 B Y S lR RAB INDRANATH TAGO RE

THE CRES CENT MOO N . Chil d Po em s -

.

Tran sl at ed by t he Au t h or With . 8 I llus t rat i on s i n

C ol ou r Pott 4 to 4 s 6d n e t . . . . .

GLOB E . In The C res c e nt

oo n R b i d th Tagore offers a M a n rana

revelati on mor e profoun d a n d mor e subtle t han i n Gi j li H ope s tan a .

’
e n

t o us the chi l d mi n d Hi revel at io n of t he c hi l d mi n d is ri c her

-
. s -
,

mor e c omple te more co n vi nc i n g th an any of whi c h we have h d previ ous

, , a

k n ow l edge .

N A TI ON A visio n of c h il dhood wh ic h is o nl y parall el ed i n our

.

lit erature by th work of W ill iam B lake e .

D A I L Y N E WS T o ma ny peopl e this will be t he mos t c harm in g

.

c oll ect io n of M T g poems ye t gi ve n t o t he En gl ish speak in g

r. a ore s
'
-

Nearl y all of them seem t o ho l d th e same crystallin e s t ll i

CHITRA . A Pl ay , Tran s late d by th e A uthor .

Crown 8 vo . 25 . 6d . net .

"

OB S E R VE R allegory o f lov e s m ea i n g cl ear a pool in th e

. An
'
n , as

s n shi n e I t was writte n we are t ol d twenty fi yea s ago

u .
,
E ve n ,
-
ve r .

t he n M Tagore had t hat cal m inten si ty of is i on whi c h we have l l come

r. v a

t o love i n h is l at er work W fi d i n hi m that for whi ch Arj un a groped

. e n

in his l ov e that l t imat e y that bare simpl i c i ty of t ru th an d n ever

, u ou , .
’

more th an i th i l i ttl e work of beauty Chi tra

n
'

s , .

PA LL M ALL GA Z E TTE — O ver an d over aga i we fi d tha t .

“
n n

perfume of phra e whi ch has l ways ma ked M T g s work t i ts a r r. a ore s

'
a

b es t . H has give n us t he sou l of th East disem b died of i ts

e e o

se nsu l i ty an d within it shi nes the mos t perfe t tri bute t o true womanh ood
a , c

a n d t claims
i s .
"

H UNGRY S T O NES and O ther S tories .

C rown 8vo 55 n e t . . .
THE KIN G O " THE DARK CHAMB E
A Play Tran sl at ed by K S HI TI S H C H AN D RA S E
.

C rown 8 vo 4 s 6d n e t . . . .

GL OB E . re l poe t i cal imagi n at io n of it is u nchall en geabl e tl

Th e a

allegory subtle an d profoun d an d y et simpl e i s c as t i nt o t he form of

, ,

dramat i c narra tive whi c h moves wi t h u n co n ve n t io n al freedom to a fi

, ne

impressive clima ; an d t he reader who began i idl e c ri osi ty fi n ds t

x , n u ,

i n te ll ige n c e more an d more e n gaged u n ti l whe n he t urn s the l as t pag

, ,

he has t he fe l i n g of o n e who has bee n movi n g i n worl ds n o t r ealised a

e

commun i n g wi t h great if m ys terious p resences .

PA LL M A LL GA ZE T TE Alt oge ther t he pl ay is a b

. tif , eau

p i ec e of fanc iful wr t i n g wit h a vei led pur pose at t he bac k of i t

i .
"

W have n o spa c e t o do mor e t ha n sugges t t

e

wealt h of m ean i n g c o n t ai n ed i n t his wo n derful pl ay for it is a work of ,

whi ch re vea l s a t housan d face ts t o ev ery see i n g eye .

THE PO S T O " " ICE . A Pl ay . Tran s late

by D EV AB R ATA M U K ER J EA . C rown 8 vo . as . 6
n et .

A TH E N /E UM .the sym bolic i dea is n o t o btruded ar

W h il e ,

does n o t as we app rehe n d it assume i n appropria te d fi i

, , t he pure e n te nes s ,

human int eres t is e " uisit ely sus t ai n ed an d t he man ageme nt of

x , su

dramat i c o p port un i t ies as the si mpl e si t ua ti o n affords is al ways happy .

M A N CHE S TE R G UA R DI AN The Pos t O fli is a del i c at

. ce
'

wis t ful thi n g c ol oured wi th beau tiful i magery ; for a mome nt i t lift s
,

corn er of the vei l of worl dly e is t ence T he t ran slat io n i s h gh

x . t rou o

e trem ely happy

x .

D A I L Y TE L E GR APH O n eed n o t n ecessar ily in "u re abo

. ne i

t his pl ay What is its i nn er m eanin g " I is beau ti ful an d intell ig ble

, t i

i t s ou tward p w ex ress n.

L ON D ON : MA M C ILLAN AND CO .
, LTD .
 BY S IR RAB INDRANATH TAGO RE

S AD HANA : The Realisation of Life Lectures . .

Ex t ra C rown 8 VO 58 n e t . . .

VO L UM E S I N THE PR E S S .

S T RAY B IRD S , By S ir R AB I ND R A NATH

T AGO R E . Crown 8 v0 .

S HANTINIKETAN : The Bolpur S chool

of R abin dran ath Tag ore By W . . W . PE ARS O N .

I llus trat ed by M U K U L C H AN D RA D EY . C rown 8vo .

O NE H UND RED POEMS O " KAB IR .

Tran sl at ed by R A B I ND R ANATH TA GO RE assis t ed by ,

EV E LY N U N D E R H I LL C rown 8vo 4 s 6d n e t . . . . .

RABINDRANATH TAGORE . A B io
g rap hical S tucly . By E RN ES T R H YS . I llus trat ed .

Extra Crown 8 vo .
55 . net .

S I" PO RTRAI T S O " RAB INDRANATH

TAGO RE B y W R O T H E N S TE I N R e prod u c ed in
. . .

C oll otyp e . With Pr fat ory Not

e e by MA" B EE R
BOH M .

I mp 4 to
. . I os. net .

THE AUT O BIOGRAPHY O " MAH AR

S HI DEV ENDRANATH TAGO R E (" ath er
of Rabin dran ath Tag ore" Tran sl at ed by S ATV E N .

D RA NATH AG R E d I ND I RA D V I W i t h I nt d
T O an E . ro uc

t i on by E E LYN U N D R I LL and Portrait E t a

V E H , . x r

C wn 8
ro 7 6d n e t
VO . s. . .