On the seashore of endless worlds children meet (Song 60) by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem, Summary & Analysis)

 

On the seashore of endless worlds children meet (Song 60) by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem, Summary & Analysis) 

On the seashore of endless worlds children meet. The infinite sky is motionless overhead and the restless water is boisterous. On the seashore of endless worlds the children meet with shouts and dances.

They build their houses with sand, and they play with empty shells. With withered leaves they weave their boats and smilingly float them on the vast deep. Children have their play on the seashore of worlds.

They know not how to swim, they know not how to cast nets. Pearl-fishers dive for pearls, merchants sail in their ships, while children gather pebbles and scatter them again. They seek not for hidden treasures, they know not how to cast nets.

The sea surges up with laughter, and pale gleams the smile of the sea-beach. Death-dealing waves sing meaningless ballads to the children, even like a mother while rocking her baby’s cradle. The sea plays with children, and pale gleams the smile of the sea-beach.

On the seashore of endless worlds children meet. Tempest roams in the pathless sky, ships are wrecked in the trackless water, death is abroad and children play. On the seashore of endless worlds is the great meeting of children.

 

Summary

The poem stands out from other songs. It highlights the innocence, simplicity, and carefree nature of children. Tagore paints a lovely scene where children are joyfully playing and shouting on the endless shore. The sky above them is huge and still, while the sea is wild and stormy. The children play and dance freely, without worrying about the problems that adults face.

Children, with pure innocence, build sandcastles, blow into empty seashells, and float tiny boats made from dried leaves. Smiling, they are completely absorbed in their games on the shore. They live far from the worries that adults face. They don't know how to swim or how to cast nets to find treasures. While merchants sail on their big ships, children simply collect stones and toss them back. They're not looking for hidden riches or trying to solve life's problems. As adults battle through life's challenges, the children play happily by the sea.

The children aren't the only ones playing on the beach; the sea plays with them, too. It creates waves that sound like laughter, and its smile is a soft, pale color. The children love the dangerous waves, which sound to them like a mother singing. The loud roar of the sea is as sweet as a mother's lullaby. Even though the waves and storms can be destructive, wrecking ships and bringing death, the children keep playing their innocent games on the shore of life's sea.

 

Analysis

Like the Romantic poets, Tagore also loves the themes of innocence and simplicity, which he sees in children’s faces and actions. Wordsworth, in his poem "Ode to Immortality," says that childhood is a time when we are closest to a heavenly state. He describes children as innocent, carefree, pure, and without any deceit. These qualities, according to him, bring them closer to spiritual happiness. The poet regrets growing up because it takes him further from this innocent state and the spiritual joy that comes with it. Wordsworth admires the carefree nature of children, just as Tagore celebrates their playful innocence. Both poets share similar ideas. Children, while playing on the shore of life, are not concerned with the deeper mysteries of life. Their innocence is in stark contrast to adults’ cunning, selfishness, and material concerns. Children live in a simple, joyful world, where they don’t distinguish between ordinary things and precious ones. For them, the sound of the sea is as sweet as a mother’s lullaby. The message of innocence, simplicity, and detachment comes through in Tagore’s song. Wordsworth’s famous line, "The child is the father of man," perfectly fits Tagore’s idea in his lyric.

 

"They build their houses with sand and they play with empty shells. With withered leaves they weave their boats and smilingly float them on the vast deep. Children have their play on the seashore of the worlds."

 

The lines talk about the innocence and carefree nature of children. They are pure, loving, and have no bad intentions in their hearts. They spend their time playing games on the beach, building sandcastles, and playing with empty shells. They make little boats out of dried leaves and happily float them on the sea.

This is very different from how adults live. Adults are busy with selfish things, like trying to make more money. The innocence of children is shown as a contrast to the cunning and selfish ways of grown-ups. Adults are caught up in material desires, greed, and their own hidden goals. Here, childhood is seen as something perfect and pure.