Love

The Gardener 75: At midnight the would-be ascetic announced

by Rabindranath Tagore 1861–1941

Translated by Rabindranath Tagore (1915) · From The Gardener (1915)

Love

At midnight the would-be ascetic announced:
"This is the time to give up my home and seek for God. Ah, who has held me so long in delusion here?"
God whispered, "I," but the ears of the man were stopped.
With a baby asleep at her breast lay his wife, peacefully sleeping on one side of the bed.
The man said, "Who are ye that have fooled me so long?"
The voice said again, "They are God," but he heard it not.
The baby cried out in its dream, nestling close to its mother.
God commanded, "Stop, fool, leave not thy home," but still he heard not.
God sighed and complained, "Why does my servant wander to seek me, forsaking me?"

MLA

Tagore, Rabindranath. “The Gardener 75: At midnight the would-be ascetic announced.” Translated by Rabindranath Tagore. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/tagore/177/.

Chicago

Tagore, Rabindranath. “The Gardener 75: At midnight the would-be ascetic announced.” Translated by Rabindranath Tagore. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/tagore/177/.

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