within clouds and waves
golden dawn to silver moon
distant voices call
thankful for mother’s presence
staying true to family
The challenge for Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #49 Clouds and Waves by Rabindranath Tagore
is to distill a verse by Rabindranath Tagore
into a haiku or tanka.
Clouds And Waves
Mother, the folk who live up in the clouds call out to me-
“We play from the time we wake till the day ends.
We play with the golden dawn, we play with the silver moon.”
I ask, “But how am I to get up to you ?”
They answer, “Come to the edge of the earth, lift up your
hands to the sky, and you will be taken up into the clouds.”
“My mother is waiting for me at home, “I say, “How can I leave
her and come?”
Then they smile and float away.
But I know a nicer game than that, mother.
I shall be the cloud and you the moon.
I shall cover you with both my hands, and our house-top will
be the blue sky.
The folk who live in the waves call out to me-
“We sing from morning till night; on and on we travel and know
not where we pass.”
I ask, “But how am I to join you?”
They tell me, “Come to the edge of the shore and stand with
your eyes tight shut, and you will be carried out upon the waves.”
I say, “My mother always wants me at home in the everything-
how can I leave her and go?”
They smile, dance and pass by.
But I know a better game than that.
I will be the waves and you will be a strange shore.
I shall roll on and on and on, and break upon your lap with
laughter.
And no one in the world will know where we both are.
©️ Rabindranath Tagore
Image source: Wikimedia Commons – Seagulls over the Waves, by Watanabe Shōtei
What a beautiful composition!
“I will be the waves and you will be a strange shore.
I shall roll on and on and on, and break upon your lap with
laughter.
And no one in the world will know where we both are.”
Breathtaking!
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🙂 Comforting while inspirational.
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Indeed. However, you forgot gorgeous! 🙂
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🙂
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That’s wonderful, Ken.
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🙂 Thanks, Steve.
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Deep and intriguing – I like your take.
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Thank you, Jazz. I enjoy haiku As much as it seems to be compressed at times, it also allows you to read between the lines.
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I love that everything is ‘within clouds and waves’, Ken, and I love the phrase ‘golden dawn to silver moon’.
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Thank you, Kim. 🙂
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We had a similar take on this. All those distant voices calling … better stay home.
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voices always call
which to follow, which to heed
wisdom in choosing
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Luv how you intoned security into your tanka
much love…
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Enjoyed the story! You distilled it beautifully.
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Thanks, Betty.
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Wonderful condensing. I really like within clouds and waves–that covers so much, and “golden dawn to silver moon” is beautiful.
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Such Poetic Marvelness! (@–>–)
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A wonderful distillation from this lovely poem by Tagore.
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Thanks, Kristjaan.
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