Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)
The Gardener 38
1My love, once upon a time your poet launched a great epic in his mind.
2Alas, I was not careful, and it struck your ringing anklets and came to grief.
3It broke up into scraps of songs and lay scattered at your feet.
4All my cargo of the stories of old wars was tossed by the laughing waves and soaked in tears and sank.
5You must make this loss good to me, my love.
6If my claims to immortal fame after death are shattered, make me immortal while I live.
7And I will not mourn for my loss nor blame you.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: Rabindranath Tagore, The Gardener
(New York: Macmillan, 1913): 69. PR 6039 A2G3 Robarts Library
First publication date:
1913
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition:
Recent editing: 1:2002/4/28
Rhyme: unrhyming
Other poems by Rabindranath Tagore
