Gitanjali 35
BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by
narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening
thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Goodbye Party For Miss Pushpa T.S.
Friends,
our dear sister
is departing for foreign
in two three days,
and
we are meeting today
to wish her bon voyage.
You are all knowing, friends,
What sweetness is in Miss Pushpa.
I don't mean only external sweetness
but internal sweetness.
Miss Pushpa is smiling and smiling
even for no reason but simply because
she is feeling.
Miss Pushpa is coming
from very high family.
Her father was renowned advocate
in Bulsar or Surat,
I am not remembering now which place.
Surat? Ah, yes,
once only I stayed in Surat
with family members
of my uncle's very old friend-
his wife was cooking nicely…
that was long time ago.
Coming back to Miss Pushpa
she is most popular lady
with men also and ladies also.
Whenever I asked her to do anything,
she was saying, 'Just now only
I will do it.' That is showing
good spirit. I am always
appreciating the good spirit.
Pushpa Miss is never saying no.
Whatever I or anybody is asking
she is always saying yes,
and today she is going
to improve her prospect
and we are wishing her bon voyage.
Now I ask other speakers to speak
and afterwards Miss Pushpa
will do summing up.
Analysis (ai): This farewell speech for Miss Pushpa T.S. captures the convivial atmosphere of a
social event. The author uses simple language to describe Miss Pushpa's kind and selfless nature,
as well as her playful and cheerful demeanor. The anecdotes shared by the author, such as Miss
Pushpa's habit of always saying yes and her connection to Surat, add a personal touch to the
speech. The speech also hints at the author's own admiration for Miss Pushpa and their
anticipation of her future successes. The use of colloquial language, such as "we are meeting
today to wish her bon voya (hide)
Our Casuarina Tree
LIKE a huge Python, winding round and round
The rugged trunk, indented deep with scars,
Up to its very summit near the stars,
A creeper climbs, in whose embraces bound
No other tree could live. But gallantly
The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the boughs among,
Whereon all day are gathered bird and bee;
And oft at nights the garden overflows
With one sweet song that seems to have no close,
Sung darkling from our tree, while men repose.
When first my casement is wide open thrown
At dawn, my eyes delighted on it rest;
Sometimes, and most in winter,—on its crest
A gray baboon sits statue-like alone
Watching the sunrise; while on lower boughs
His puny offspring leap about and play;
And far and near kokilas hail the day;
And to their pastures wend our sleepy cows;
And in the shadow, on the broad tank cast
By that hoar tree, so beautiful and vast,
The water-lilies spring, like snow enmassed.
But not because of its magnificence
Dear is the Casuarina to my soul:
Beneath it we have played; though years may roll,
O sweet companions, loved with love intense,
For your sakes, shall the tree be ever dear.
Blent with your images, it shall arise
In memory, till the hot tears blind mine eyes!
What is that dirge-like murmur that I hear
Like the sea breaking on a shingle-beach?
It is the tree’s lament, an eerie speech,
That haply to the unknown land may reach.
Unknown, yet well-known to the eye of faith!
Ah, I have heard that wail far, far away
In distant lands, by many a sheltered bay,
When slumbered in his cave the water-wraith
And the waves gently kissed the classic shore
Of France or Italy, beneath the moon,
When earth lay trancèd in a dreamless swoon:
And every time the music rose,—before
Mine inner vision rose a form sublime,
Thy form, O Tree, as in my happy prime
I saw thee, in my own loved native clime.
Therefore I fain would consecrate a lay
Unto thy honor, Tree, beloved of those
Who now in blessed sleep for aye repose,—
Dearer than life to me, alas, were they!
Mayst thou be numbered when my days are done
With deathless trees—like those in Borrowdale,
Under whose awful branches lingered pale
“Fear, trembling Hope, and Death, the skeleton,
And Time the shadow;” and though weak the verse
That would thy beauty fain, oh, fain rehearse,
May Love defend thee from Oblivion’s curse.
Analysis (ai): "Our Casuarina Tree" is a poem that exhibits a strong connection between the
speaker and the natural world. The casuarina tree is described as a stately and beloved
companion, intertwined with memories of loved ones and childhood experiences. The poem's
depiction of the tree's appearance and its symbolic significance resonate with the Romantic
period's emphasis on nature and emotion.
The poem is notable for its vivid sensory imagery, particularly in its descriptions of the tree's
appearance and the sounds that surround it. The tree's "huge Python" trunk, "crimson clusters" of
flowers, and "sweet song" that fills the garden evoke a vibrant and immersive sensory
experience. These elements contribute to the poem's immersive and evocative atmosphere.
Compared to other works by Toru Dutt, "Our Casuarina Tree" displays a similar focus on nature
and personal connections. Dutt's other poems often explore themes of loss, memory, and the
power of nature to provide solace and inspiration. This poem shares these themes, but its
emphasis on the specific and beloved casuarina tree gives it a unique and personal touch.
Overall, "Our Casuarina Tree" is a poem that effectively captures the Romantic era's appreciation
for the beauty and power of nature, while also expressing the speaker's deep personal connection
to a specific tree and the memories associated with it.
