Where Dost Thou Stand Behind
by
Rabindranath Tagore
(Text & Summary)
In this poem, the poet is a poor bride who
waits for her Prince, God to come and love her. She has nothing to offer Him as
the flowers she had gathered had been taken away by passersby. People mock and
smile at her and she is filled with shame. The poem is an in tensely passionate
expression of the poet's love and devotion for God. The poet expresses his deep
faith, that he shall one day achieve salvation and be blessed.
Where Dost Thou Stand Behind
Where
dost thou stand behind them all, my lover, hiding thyself in the shadows? They
push thee and pass thee by on the dusty road, taking thee for naught. I wait
here weary hours spreading my offerings for thee, while passersby come and take
my flowers, one by one, and my basket is nearly empty.
The
morning time is past, and the noon. In the shade of evening my eyes are drowsy
with sleep. Men going home glance at me and smile and fill me with shame. I sit
like a beggar maid, drawing my skirt over my face, and when they ask me, what
it is I want, I drop my eyes and answer them not.
Oh,
how, indeed, could I tell them that for thee I wait, and that thou hast
promised to come. How could I utter for shame that I keep for my dowry this
poverty. Ah, I hug this pride in the secret of my heart.
I
sit on the grass and gaze upon the sky and dream of the sudden splendour of thy
coming--all the lights ablaze, golden pennons flying over thy car, and they at
the roadside standing agape, when they see thee come down from thy seat to
raise me from the dust, and set at thy side this ragged beggar girl a-tremble
with shame and pride, like a creeper in a summer breeze.
But
time glides on and still no sound of the wheels of thy chariot. Many a
procession passes by with noise and shouts and glamour of glory. Is it only
thou who wouldst stand in the shadow silent and behind them all? And only I who
would wait and weep and wear out my heart in vain longing?
Summary
In
this poem, Tagore expresses his longing for God. In the poem, the poet is a beggar
maid, who is waiting for her prince and lover to take her away. The poet asks the
lover God, why He stood behind all, hiding Himself in the shadows. He is pushed
and passed and taken for nothing. The poet, who is God’s beloved waits for
hours for Him. People have taken away all her flowers one by one.
The
morning and the afternoon have passed and in the darkening light of the evening
the beloved feels drowsy with sleep. People, seeing the beloved (the poet),
sitting at the side of the road, smile and this fills the poet with shame. The
poet is sitting like a beggar girl who hides her face by drawing her skirt over
her face. The poet does not answer the questions of people because he cannot
tell them that he was waiting for God. He has nothing to offer God but his
poverty and yet this is a matter of pride that the poet hugs and holds Him close
to his heart.
The
poet, then sits on the grass and looking at the sky, dreams of God coming to
him with all His splendour. He shall come with his golden flags flying over
this chariot. When God shall come down from His chariot and raise the poet from
the earth, everyone will be surprised. When God shall set him beside himself,
the poet shall tremble with the great glory conferred on him.
The
poet says, that time passes on slowly but there is no sound of God's chariot
coming near. Many processions pass by with loud noises and glory. Then the poet
finally questions if He would thus remain hiding in the shadows silently and
cries if he were to be the only one left waiting for Him, crying his heart out
and long for God's presence.
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