Golden Boat

Translation of poem by Rabindranath Tagore

— by Anjana Basu

(Reading Time: 3 min Approx)

Grumble rumble thundercloud, monsoon rain

Sitting by the riverbank all hope seems vain

Haystack back wheat cutting laid back

By the river bank out on the flood plain

Harvesting the wheat and down came the rain

On small field and then on my own me

Surrounded by waters lashing playfully

Across the river was drawn leaf shadow smeared upon

A village in the dawn cloud covered totally

This side a small field and all alone me

Singing a song rowing along who’s that by the shore?

Seeing him, I think. I knew that man before

Sails filled he passes by without turning an eye

The waves in futility break beside and before

Seeing him, I think. I knew that man before.

Traveler where do you go to what foreign land?

Come anchor your boat awhile beside the river strand.

Go wherever you’re going to do whatever you want to do

But take with you with a laugh unplanned

My golden grain- come and anchor by this strand

Load as much as you want onto your golden boat.

Any more? No, filled it all, left no mote

All these river days what days what filled my gaze

I’ve given it away groat by groat

Now please take me too wherever you float

No room, no room, the boat’s too small

My golden grain fills it there’s no shortfall

Monsoon sky shrouds the wandering clouds

By the river loud sit with no one to call

The golden boat sailed away took it all.