Bust of Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore in St Stephen’s Green Dublin, Ireland.
Rabindranath Tagore ~ Bronze
Artist ~ Unknown.
This bust of the Indian nationalist and Nobel Prize winning poet “GURUDEV” Rabindranath Tagore, was unveiled on the 17th October 2011 to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth.
The bust was unveiled at St. Stephen’s Green by Mr. Eamon Gilmore, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Ireland. & Mrs. Prennet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs. India. This is the first Non-Irish statue unveiled in Stephen’s Green Park.
Irish Poet W. B. Yeats was his close friend and who translated Gitanjali into English.
Rabindranath Tagore was a great poet, author and had made an immense contribution to Indian literature and music. He became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature.
“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset sky.”
Verse 292, Stray Birds, 1916.
Below is an English translation of the final poem written by Tagore just two weeks before he died.
“I’m lost in the middle of my birthday.
I want my friends,
their touch,
with the earth’s last love.
I will take life’s final offering,
I will take the human’s last blessing.
Today my sack is empty.
I have given completely
whatever I had to give.
In return if I receive anything –
some love, some forgiveness –
then I will take it with me
when I step on the boat that crosses
to the festival of the wordless end.”
I have never heard of this poet before! Where have I been? Thanks for this lovely introduction.
I am glad to make the introduction. Enjoy!
From the poem, it seems like he was ready for the end.
He wrote that poem before he had surgery and only lasted another three weeks.
Thanks for bringing Tagore’s last poem to my attention. I had not known it, and it’s really nice. When Hubby and I married it was beginning to be fashionable to write your own vows for the ceremony, particularly if you weren’t being married “in the church.” He was born Hindu and I Christian and needless to say we suffered some flack from that face. Part of the ceremony we designed included a closing prayer using Tagore’s “Where the mind is without fear.” My favorite lines from that one is: Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, Where knowledge is free…Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.” Just as appropriate now as then.
Great lines in the piece you chose. Yes, they are as appropriate now as they were back then.
Excellent poem, if a bit sad. I had never heard of Tagore before. Will have to check him out. Dianne
Dianne, I am sure you will find it worthwhile.
Wasn’t there an Irish poet who recently died? I forgot his name.
Yes, Seamus Heaney, he died on Friday, and his funeral took place today, in Dublin.