In the dead of night
In my sickness with my bleary eyes
When I see your wakeful presence
Then it seems
This universe - its sky,
Its innumerable stars -
Accepts forever the responsibility of my life
But as soon as you leave
Suddenly I am gripped by this panic -
This world is so indifferent
Its silence is so deadly!
Translation of poem 7 from the collection Rogshajyay (In sick bed) by Rabindranath Tagore. The original in Bengali script may be viewed at
