Death, thy servant, is at my door (song 86) by Rabindranath Tagore (poem, summary & analysis)

 

Death, thy servant, is at my door (song 86) by Rabindranath Tagore (poem, summary & analysis) 

Death, thy servant, is at my door. He has crossed the unknown sea and brought thy call to my home.

The night is dark and my heart is fearful yet I will take up the lamp, open my gates and bow to him my welcome. It is thy messenger who stands at my door.

I will worship him with folded hands, and with tears. I will worship him placing at his feet the treasure of my heart.

He will go back with his errand done, leaving a dark shadow on my morning; and in my desolate home only my forlorn self will remain as my last offering to thee.

Death, thy servant, is at my door. He has crossed the unknown sea and brought thy call to my home.

 

Summary

The poem is like a short song about Death. The poet welcomes Death, which he sees as a messenger from God. At first, he was afraid of Death, but in this poem, he greets it with respect. The poet says Death is God's servant, sent with a message from the highest power, so it should be welcomed warmly. It comes from the eternal world.

In the quiet of night, Death arrives at his door, and the poet greets it with folded hands. He says he will give Death the best thing he has—his heart's treasure. Death will leave after delivering its message, taking the poet's soul, which he freely gives to the Creator. This is the poet’s final offering to the world.

 

Critical Analysis

For Tagore, death is not something to be afraid of but a way to find completeness. He shows his love for God and sees dying as giving in to a lover after a struggle. Once a person dies, the soul loses its separate self and becomes connected to the universe.

For Tagore, death is a sign of immortality. Unlike Donne and Hardy, who saw death as sad and painful, Tagore talks about it as something spiritual, calling it "thy servant."

"The night is dark and my heart is fearfull - yet I will take up the lamp open my gates and bow to him my welcome. It is thy messenger who stands at my door."

Death is something that everyone will face, and the poet believes we should accept this truth. The main idea is how the poet plans to deal with death. It is normal for people to feel scared when thinking about death, but the poet tells himself that death should not be feared. Instead, it should be welcomed as a part of life. Death is like a message from God, coming from the endless sea of time. When death comes to him, the poet will greet it respectfully. When it knocks at his door, he will light a lantern in the dark and open the gate. Even though he might feel scared, he will welcome this messenger with open arms.