Lack and Lavishness

Beside the slippery slope of a desolate river
among the tall grasses I asked a damsel
carrying her lamp shading with her mantle
to lend her light for my home dark and deserted.

She raised her dark eyes for a moment

looked at me staring through the dusk, and floated
her lamp on the stream as the daylight waned
in the west and I stood watching that flickering
flame, uselessly, drifting in the tide!

In the silence of the middle night I asked a maid

when all her lights are lit where she was going
with her lamp, pleading also from her
to lend her light for my home dark and deserted.

She raised her dark eyes for a moment

looking at me, stood there a moment with doubt
and said, she has come at last to dedicate her lamp
to the wide sky, and I stood and watched
her light, uselessly, burning in the void!

In a moonless gloom of midnight I asked

a woman what she was searching holding closer
to her heart her lamp, with that I requested her
to lend her light for my home dark and deserted.

She stopped for a minute and thought
and gazed at me in the pitch dark
saying that she has brought her light to join
the carnival of lamps, and I stood and watched
her little lamp, uselessly, lost among lights!

Adopted from Tagore’s Gitanjali, poem 64

Henry Victor          24.12.2012

 

Strength to …

It is emptiness, lack of love
for you that is constantly sucked
in by my root that fills my heart
prompting my present prayer.

Strike, hence, at the root of my poverty
giving me the strength
lightly to bear my joys and sorrow
giving me the strength
to make my love fruitful in service
giving me the strength
never to disown the poor
or, bend my knees before insolent might
giving me the strength
to raise my mind high above daily trifles
giving me also the strength
to surrender my strength to your will
but with love and joy.

Adopted from Tagore’s Gitanjali, poem 36

Henry Victor          16.10.2012