আমি বেসেছিলেম ভালো
     সকল দেহে মনে
এই ধরণীর ছায়া আলো
     আমার এ জীবনে।
সেই-যে আমার ভালোবাসা
লয়ে আকুল অকূল আশা
ছড়িয়ে দিল আপন ভাষা
     আকাশনীলিমাতে।
রইল গভীর সুখে দুখে,
রইল সে-যে কুঁড়ির বুকে
ফুল-ফোটানোর মুখে মুখে
     ফাগুনচৈত্ররাতে।
রইল তারি রাখী বাঁধা
     ভাবী কালের হাতে।

DARK CLOUDS have blotted all lights from above; and we caged
birds cry and ask you: 'My friend, is it the death moment
of creation? Has God withdrawn His blessings from the sky?'
Times were when the sudden breath of April would waft the distant
fragrance of hope into our hearts, and the morning light
would gild the iron bars of our prison with its golden
spell and would bring the gladness of the open world into our cage.
But, see, it is all dark in the hills yonder, and not a thinnest
rift has been made by the scimitar of light cutting through the massive gloom.
Our chains today sit heavy on our feet, and not a flush of glow
is left in the sky with which to build an illusion of joy.
But let not our fear and sorrow pain you, my friend!
Come not to sit at the door of our cage to cry with us.
Your wings are unfettered.
Far away from us you soar beyond all clouds.
And from there send us the message in song:
'The light is shining for ever. The lamp of the sun is not out.'

I ONLY SAID, 'When in the evening the round full moon gets entangled among the branches of that Kadam tree, couldn't somebody catch it?'
But dada' laughed at me and said, 'Baby, you are the silliest child I have ever known. The moon is ever so far from us, how could anybody catch it?'
I said, 'Dada, how foolish you are! When mother looks out of her
window and smiles down at us playing, would you call her far away?'
Still dada said, 'You are a stupid child! But, baby, where could you find a net big enough to catch the moon with?'
I said, 'Surely you could catch it with your hands.'
But dada laughed and said, 'You are the silliest child I have known.
If it came nearer, you would see how big the moon is.'
I said, 'Dada, what nonsense they teach at your school! When mother bends her face down to kiss us does her face look very big?'
But still dada says, 'You are a stupid child.'