Religion

Gitanjali 53: Beautiful is thy wristlet

by Rabindranath Tagore 1861–1941

Translated by Rabindranath Tagore (1912) · From Gitanjali (1912)

Religion

Beautiful is thy wristlet, decked with stars and cunningly wrought in myriad-coloured jewels. But more beautiful to me thy sword with its curve of lightning like the outspread wings of the divine bird of Vishnu, perfectly poised in the angry red light of the sunset.

It quivers like the one last response of life in ecstasy of pain at the final stroke of death; it shines like the pure flame of being burning up earthly sense with one fierce flash.

Beautiful is thy wristlet, decked with starry gems; but thy sword, O lord of thunder, is wrought with uttermost beauty, terrible to behold or think of.

MLA

Tagore, Rabindranath. “Gitanjali 53: Beautiful is thy wristlet.” Translated by Rabindranath Tagore. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/tagore/52/.

Chicago

Tagore, Rabindranath. “Gitanjali 53: Beautiful is thy wristlet.” Translated by Rabindranath Tagore. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/tagore/52/.

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