I Thought I Should Ask of Thee by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem & Summary)

 

I Thought I Should Ask of Thee

by Rabindranath Tagore

(Poem & Summary) 

This is the 52^nd poem of ‘Gitanjali’ by Rabindranath Tagore. The poem is about someone who sees their loved one wearing a wreath made of roses. But when they look for the wreath in the morning, they find a big and powerful sword instead. The sword represents strength and bravery. Even though the person feels too weak to handle the sword, they decide to accept it as a special gift. They promise to carry the weight of pain and fearlessness that comes with it. The sword becomes their friend and helps them break free from their limitations. They choose to let go of superficial things and embrace their new strong and true self.

I Thought I Should Ask of Thee

I Thought I should ask of thee ⎯ but I dared not ⎯ the rose wreath thou hadst on thy neck. Thus, I waited for the morning, when thou didst depart, to find a few fragments on the bed. And like a beggar I searched in the dawn only for a stray petal or two.

Ah me, what is it I find? What token left of thy love? It is no flower, no spices, no vase of perfumed water. It is thy mighty sword, flashing as a flame, heavy as a bolt of thunder. The young light of morning comes through the window and spreads itself upon thy bed. The morning bird twitters and asks, "Woman, what hast thou got?" No, it is no flower, nor spices, nor vase of perfumed water ⎯ it is thy dreadful sword.

I sit and muse in wonder, what gift is this of thine. I can find no place where to hide it. I am ashamed to wear it, frail as I am, and it hurts me when I press it to my bosom. Yet shall I bear in my heart this honour of the burden of pain, this gift of thine.

From now there shall be no fear left for me in this world, and thou shalt be victorious in all my strife. Thou hast left death for my companion and I shall crown him with my life. Thy sword is with me to cut asunder my bonds, and there shall be no fear left for me in the world.

From now I leave off all petty decorations. Lord of my heart, no more shall there be for me waiting and weeping in corners, no more coyness and sweetness of demeanor. Thou hast given me thy sword for adornment. No more doll's decorations for me!

Summary

In this song, Tagore wants to tell us that it's important to detach ourselves from the pleasures of the world. But he isn't suggesting that we should avoid reality completely. He actually loves life and believes that what we see around us is often not what it appears to be. If we ever feel the need to escape from our ordinary lives, it should be towards a deeper experience of spirituality or mysticism, rather than seeking a state of blissful ignorance.

In another part of the poem, the poet pretends to be a lover of God and hopes to receive a rose wreath as a symbol of love from his beloved God. He is scared to ask directly, so he waits until the morning when the beloved has left. To his surprise, he finds a few pieces of the wreath on the bed. The poet sees himself as a beggar, someone who asks for the love of their Creator.

Instead of finding flowers, spices, and perfumed water, the poet discovers a mighty sword. This sword represents the luxuries and comforts of earthly life. It shines brightly like a flame and is heavy like a thunderbolt, symbolizing spiritual courage and glow. The sword signifies a path to spiritual bliss. This strength and steadfastness provide the power to fight against the evil within our souls. By resisting worldly temptations and detaching ourselves from earthly attractions, we can find an easier and clearer path to God.

The poet is amazed and a bit afraid of this gift from his beloved, as he is still attached to earthly pleasures. However, he gathers his strength and turns this sword into a source of spiritual strength to combat his weaknesses. With the sword, he feels victorious and ready to face the struggles of the world. Even though death is his constant companion, he will fearlessly embrace it and consider it the crowning achievement of his life.

The virtue of detachment is revealed here. With the sword, one can sever the ties that bind them to the world and fearlessly carry out their duties. This detachment from worldly attachments and pleasures makes a person strong enough to welcome even death. The poet will now leave behind trivial matters and no longer wait and cry in corners for his lover. His shyness and sweetness of nature have transformed into inner strength and character.