In the sky clouds are rumbling
It is heavily raining.
On the bank of the river
All alone I am sitting
Without any hope.
In heaps and boatloads
I have finished my reaping
The river is full
Like a razor's edge
Its current is sharp
The rains came
When I was harvesting.
This plot is small
And I am all alone
All around me
In eddies the water is playing.
On the other bank I see
A village darkly shaded by trees
And overcast by clouds
The day is breaking '
Here on this bank
The plot is small
And I am all alone.
Singing songs
To this bank who comes sailing
As I see him
It seems I know him.
In full sail he passes
Paying no heed to anything
Helplessly on either side
The waves keep on breaking '
As I see him
It seems I know him.
Where are you going
To what foreign land
Come, O come to this bank
And anchor your boat
Just for a while.
Go wherever you like
Give him whomever you choose
But smile for a moment
And take my golden harvest.
Take as much as you want
And fill your boat.
Is there anything left?
I have no more
Whatever I had
I have loaded on your boat.
Whatever so long
Kept me in a spell
In heap upon heap
I have loaded them in your boat
Now have some mercy
Take me on your journey.
There is no room at all
The boat is small
With your golden harvest
It is full to the brim.
Through the rainy sky
All day long
Thick clouds wander
The golden boat took away
Whatever I had
Leaving me alone
On the deserted bank of the river.
Translation of the title poem from the collection Sonar tari by Rabindranath Tagore. The original poem in Bengali script may be viewed at
