I am afraid to accept your gifts
They are the last residue in the tray of my fame
One dark night to this world I came
With flowers that shed from heaven
I made a garland
Did I know, blind in darkness as I am,
It was made by him?
Dare you to place it on the neck of the muse
Where so many necklaces and jewels shine?
In the festive assembly of the immortals
If these stale flowers drop their petals
If your love appears pale in shame!
Translation of the song – Tomader dan jasher dalay sab- shesh sanchoy amar/nite mone lage bhoy – by Rabindranath Tagore. The poet’s own notation of this song has not been preserved. Debabrata Biswas sang it setting it to tune and that recording is available only in personal collections of some acquaintances of the singer. The original is at http://www.rabindra-rachanabali.nltr.org/node/6313.
