. . . from Rabindranath Tagore

Amare Tumi Ashesh Korecho

Making me inexhaustible
Gives you pleasure;
Exhausting me fully,
You fill me till I am born anew
Taking the little flute that I am,
You cross hills and river banks,
Evoking endless tunes from me!
Who could I tell all this to?
In your everlasting caress
My heart loses sight of limits
And in immense bursts of joy
Song lyrics rise in me.
You give me what I can take
With my hands, night and day,
Years pass but there is no end
To what I receive from you!

Tumi Jokhon Gaite Bolo

When you ask me to sing
My heart swells with pride
As I look intently at you
My eyes moisten with tears
All that is hard and bitter in me
Melts into heavenly music
All my prayers and thoughts
Take wings like merry birds.
You are content with my songs
I know they please you.
They admit me to your company
The One I can't reach through thought
Accepts me through my songs!
My songs make me forget myself
And let me call my Lord my friend.

Tumi Kemon Kore Gaan Koro

O wise one, how do you sing so well?
I listen in amazement, completely enthralled!
Your melodies light up the world
And waft across heavens,
Melting stones, driving everything in the way,
Carrying along with them heavenly music.
Though the tunes keep eluding my voice
I feel like singing in that superb vein
What I would like to say get stuck
And my soul cries out, defeated!
What trap have you ensnared me into?
Your music has me fully in its thrall!

Amar Shokol Ange

Your touch makes all of me
Feel holy, O Life-giver;
Night and day, I keep you in view
And try to stay pure.
O Truth giver, I try to remind myself,
In everything that I do,
That your presence in my mind
Should guide all my thoughts,
And keep all untruths away.
Because you are in my heart
I can curb all evil and deceit
And check everything hateful
Because you are rooted in me
My love will bloom and stay pure
Knowing you are my strength
I'll strive to reveal you in my work.

Tumi Ektu Kebol Boshte

Just let me sit near you awhile
And indulge me a little
Any work I have left over
I'll finish later
If I can't see you
My heart won't rest
And I'll drift
In a boundless ocean
Spring murmurs eagerly
At my window this day,
The listless bee buzzes on
Circling the garden lawn
This is a day for reposing
By myself, of keeping
You always in my view
All I'd like to do this day
Is dedicate my life to you
Singing in quiet repose.

Chhinno Kore Lou He More

Pluck me this moment
And delay no longer
Let me not lie in the dust forlorn
Let me be part of
The garland you'll put on
My fate, I keep hoping,
Is to be picked by you alone!
Extract me, pluck me out,
Remove me from all doubt!
Who knows when day will end?
Who knows when night will fall?
Who knows when the time to pray,
And call upon you, may slip away?
Take me, whatever colors I gather,
Choose me, whatever scent I put on,
Make me part of your prayer offerings
Let me serve you any way I can,
Extract me, pluck me out,
Remove me from all doubt!

Dr. Fakrul Alam, noted writer and critic, teaches English literature at Dhaka University.