The Morning Sea of Silence by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem & Summary)

 

The Morning Sea of Silence

by Rabindranath Tagore

(Poem & Summary) 

This is the 48^th poem of Gitanjali. The poem describes a journey where the poet is surrounded by the beauty of nature, but the other travelers are too focused on their own goals to appreciate it. The poet finds solace in the peacefulness of the surroundings and surrenders to the enchantment of the moment. Eventually, the poet awakens to find the person they had been seeking, realizing that the journey was worth it.

The Morning Sea of Silence

The morning sea of silence broke into ripples of bird songs; and the flowers were all merry by the roadside; and the wealth of gold was scattered through the rift of the clouds while we busily went on our way and paid no heed.

We sang no glad songs nor played; we went not to the village for barter; we spoke not a word nor smiled; we lingered not on the way. We quickened our pace more and more as the time sped by.

The sun rose to the mid sky and doves cooed in the shade. Withered leaves danced and whirled in the hot air of noon. The shepherd boy drowsed and dreamed in the shadow of the banyan tree, and I laid myself down by the water and stretched my tired limbs on the grass.

My companions laughed at me in scorn; they held their heads high and hurried on; they never looked back nor rested; they vanished in the distant blue haze. They crossed many meadows and hills, and passed through strange, far-away countries. All honour to you, heroic host of the interminable path! Mockery and reproach pricked me to rise, but found no response in me. I gave myself up for lost in the depth of a glad humiliation - in the shadow of a dim delight.

The repose of the sun-embroidered green gloom slowly spread over my heart. I forgot for what I had travelled, and I surrendered my mind without struggle to the maze of shadows and songs.

At last, when I woke from my slumber and opened my eyes, I saw thee standing by me, flooding my sleep with thy smile. How I had feared that the path was long and wearisome, and the struggle to reach thee was hard!

Summary

The poet's main idea in the poem is that God, who is all-powerful, resides in nature. Loving and appreciating nature brings us closer to experiencing the glory of God. Human lives are often busy and focused on personal goals. Some people are occupied with making money and have busy schedules. Others seek pleasure in worldly things, while some search for spiritual fulfillment. These ambitions distract people from the beauty of nature. They overlook the beauty of a beautiful morning, the cheerful songs of birds, and the colorful flowers by the roadside.

The poet mentions that his friends are also preoccupied with their goals and pay no attention to the aesthetic beauty of the golden sun or the shimmering rays of sunlight passing through the clouds. They are on a journey to find God but are unaware of His presence in nature itself. They are so focused on their quest that they neglect the beauty and divine glory expressed through nature. The poet and his friends are moving forward swiftly, determined to reach their destination. They don't want to waste time enjoying cheerful songs or embracing a simpler life.

The poet and his friends refuse to relax and enjoy secular pleasures or appreciate the innocent beauty of nature. Instead, they quicken their pace as time passes. The heat increases, the sun shines brightly, and the birds seek shelter in their nests. The hot air blows, making the leaves dance in the wind. The shepherd boy dozes off and dreams in the comforting shade of a banyan tree. Observing this, the poet himself feels the desire to relax and stretch out his limbs, but his friends show no interest and continue moving forward. They scornfully mock him, holding their heads high in disdain as they move away. The poet feels humiliated by their mocking eyes but chooses to ignore it and remains happy with his decision. He admires their determination and courage, lies down in the delightful shade, and soon his friends disappear into the meadows and hills.

The beautiful and peaceful dark green surroundings soon captivate the poet's heart. He quickly forgets the purpose of his journey and surrenders himself to the soothing songs and comforting shadows. The sweet slumber overpowers him, and when he wakes up, he finds himself beside his destination—the Almighty, our creator. The light of God's smile fills his soul. He used to fear that the path to God's heavenly abode would be long, difficult, and tiresome. However, now God is with him effortlessly, without any struggle or effort.

This poem by Tagore reflects reality. It portrays the simple life in the countryside and the beauty of nature. Tagore's poetry has a unique blend of personal expression and universal human interest, which is an important aspect of his work. This particular poem takes the form of a parable and carries a moral message.

In the poem, the poet and his friends embark on a journey to meet God. However, they become so consumed by their goal that they forget about the destination itself. They fail to recognize that the essence of their search is right beside them—in nature, with its beauty, innocence, and glory. They disregard all of this, considering earthly pleasures as obstacles to their spiritual journey. They do not realize that nature is a visible form of God, representing certain aspects of Him.

The poet, on the other hand, feels God's presence in the chirping of birds, cheerful flowers, and the golden sunlight. He understands that God created these things and is present in all His creations. While his friends have chosen a life of asceticism, rejecting worldly matters in pursuit of spiritual bliss, the poet acknowledges that if you surrender yourself to God's creation, you will feel His presence right beside you.

Tagore's writing style and choice of words are praiseworthy. He expresses his spontaneous thoughts in a simple manner. The simplicity and effectiveness of his language are undeniable. He avoids using uncommon or extravagant words in his poetry. His writing style is unique and remarkable, and his verses are simple yet impactful.

The poem describes a journey where the tranquility of the morning is disrupted by the lively sounds of birds and the cheerful presence of flowers along the roadside. However, the travelers, busy with their own purpose, pay no attention to these beautiful sights and sounds.

They do not sing joyful songs, play, or interact with others. They hasten their pace as time passes. As the sun reaches its peak and doves coo in the shade, the heat of noon causes withered leaves to dance in the hot air. A shepherd boy rests and dreams under a banyan tree, while the poet lies down near water, tired and stretches out on the grass.

The poet's companions mock and scorn him, continuing their journey without looking back or resting. They disappear into the distant blue haze, crossing meadows, hills, and foreign lands. The poet admires their determination, even though their actions provoke him. He embraces a glad sense of humiliation and a comforting feeling of delight.

Gradually, the peaceful darkness of the shaded greenery spreads calmness within the poet's heart. He forgets the purpose of his travels and surrenders his mind to the enchanting mix of shadows and songs.

When he finally awakens from his slumber, he opens his eyes to see the person he had been seeking standing beside him, filling his dreams with a radiant smile. The poet had been afraid that the journey would be long and tiresome, and the struggle to reach this person would be difficult.