Relationships

The Crescent Moon: Playthings

by Rabindranath Tagore 1861–1941

Translated by Rabindranath Tagore (1913) · From The Crescent Moon (1913)

RelationshipsLiving

Child, how happy you are sitting in the dust, playing with a broken twig all the morning.
I smile at your play with that little bit of a broken twig.
I am busy with my accounts, adding up figures by the hour.
Perhaps you glance at me and think, "What a stupid game to spoil your morning with!"
Child, I have forgotten the art of being absorbed in sticks and mud-pies.
I seek out costly playthings, and gather lumps of gold and silver.
With whatever you find you create your glad games, I spent both my time and my strength over things I never can obtain.
In my frail canoe I struggle to cross the sea of desire, and forget that I too am playing a game.

MLA

Tagore, Rabindranath. “The Crescent Moon: Playthings.” Translated by Rabindranath Tagore. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/tagore/611/.

Chicago

Tagore, Rabindranath. “The Crescent Moon: Playthings.” Translated by Rabindranath Tagore. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/tagore/611/.

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