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I am like a remnant of a cloud of autumn uselessly roaming in the sky (Song 80) by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem, Summary & Analysis)

 

I am like a remnant of a cloud of autumn uselessly roaming in the sky (Song 80) by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem, Summary & Analysis) 

I am like a remnant of a cloud of autumn uselessly roaming in the sky, O my sun ever-glorious! Thy touch has not yet melted my vapour, making me one with thy light, and thus I count months and years separated from thee.

If this be thy wish and if this be thy play, then take this fleeting emptiness of mine, paint it with colours, gild it with gold, float it on the wanton wind and spread it in varied wonders.

And again when it shall be thy wish to end this play at night, I shall melt and vanish away in the dark, or it may be in a smile of the white morning, in a coolness of purity transparent.

I am like a remnant of a cloud of autumn uselessly roaming in the sky, O my sun ever-glorious! Thy touch has not yet melted my vapour, making me one with thy light, and thus I count months and years separated from thee.

 

Summary

Tagore’s main goal in this poem is to ask God for a pure and joyful connection between himself and the divine. In his imagination, Tagore sees himself as a cloud. This image shows his love for nature and his romantic way of writing. The cloud represents the soul’s freedom, but the poet, like the cloud, has not yet been touched by God’s light. He hopes to be filled with God’s brightness, like the sun, which is always shining. The poet knows that his life on Earth keeps him from fully joining with the heavenly spirit. He asks God to melt away his earthly self with His warm and loving light, turning him into vapor so that he can become one with God.

The poet feels the pain of being separated from God and says that if God doesn’t want to meet him, then at least He should play with him like a carefree cloud. Tagore asks God to cover him with His golden glory and allow him to be a part of God’s joy, even if it means being treated like a toy. This would make him happy because it would show that God cares about him in some way.

In the end, Tagore wishes for his soul to melt away after God’s play, whether in the darkness of night or in the clear, pure light of morning, so that he can become one with the divine.

 

Critical Analysis

The main idea is still the same: the dream of becoming one with the eternal soul. This is shown in a new way, with different pictures and words. The sun represents the bright and powerful Almighty, while the empty cloud shows the meaningless life of a person.

"If this be thy wish and if this be thy pla, then take this fleeting emptiness of mine, paint it with the colours, gild it with gold, float it on the wanton wind and spread it in varied wonders."

The poet, in simple words, talks about his deep longing to be close to God. He feels humble and unworthy, saying that sometimes God's divine presence shines on him. But most of the time, he feels separated from God. The poet compares God to the bright sun, while he feels like a mist that blocks the sunlight.

Tagore believes that God made the world and people for His happiness. He tells God that He can either make his emptiness bright like gold or let it disappear into darkness, depending on what God wants. Tagore sees life as God’s joyful play, like a child playing with toys, enjoying the beauty of creation. The poet asks God to end his life on earth so his soul can unite with the beauty of God’s creation and become a joyful part of it. Right now, he feels useless.

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Location: India

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