One Half Woman, One Half Dream…
Tagore, with the masterful weaving of words, knew best how to portray the women in his life.
Whether it was their strong character, beauty or timidity; he knew how to appreciate each of their individuality through delightful expressions.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. In our wedding issue, we pick out celebrated words from the legendary poet; as if he were personally wooing each of the beautiful brides for their splendour and striking beauty.
Whether it's the libretto or the mystique charm of the ladies, we are hopeful that you will enjoy flipping through the pages; watching our dusky beauties come alive, with all the grandeur, glamour and aura.
The more I hear that long lost story,
and the pangs of that ancient love,
of a tale of love lost and found,
from distant memory comes a vision.
Across the dark night of time
at last I see your face, eternally bright,
a constant guiding star in midst of life.
---( Everlasting Love)
I seem to have loved you in
numberless forms, numberless times…
In life after life, in age after age, forever.
My spellbound heart has made and
remade the necklace of songs,
that you take as a gift, wear round
your neck in your many forms.
— (Everlasting Love)
Love's writing a song in dainty letters,
layers of kiss-calligraphy on lips.
Plucking flowers from two sets of lips
Perhaps to thread them into a chain later.
This sweet union of lips
is the red marriage-bed of a pair of smiles.
— (The Kiss)
Words have wooed yet failed to win her;
persuasion has stretched to her its eager arms in vain.
I have roamed from country to country
keeping her in the core of my heart,
and around her have risen and fallen the
growth and decay of my life.
— (Gitanjali)
We have swam together
you and I, in this stream of love
from its source in the heart
of times long gone by.
We have played with delight
with a million other lovers,
bathed in tears of happiness and pain,
bashful in the grasp of togetherness –
a timeless bond in ever changing form.
— (Everlasting Love)
That undying flame of love
today finds its place
in glorious abandon at your feet.
Universal joy and sorrow,
the devotion within the universal soul,
have all come to bear fruit in this one love of ours
imbued with the memory of all who have loved before –
one hears it in the songs sung by the poets down the ages.
— (Everlasting Love)
My soul is alight with your infinitude of stars.
Your world has broken upon me like flood.
The flowers of your garden blossom in my body;
the joy of life that is everywhere burns like an incense in my heart.
And the breath of all things plays on my life as on a pipe of reeds.
— (The Gardener)
With a glance of your eyes
you could plunder all wealth of songs from poets' harps,
fair woman!
But for their praises you have no ear;
therefore do I come to praise you.
— (The Gardener)
O woman, you are not merely the
handiwork of God, but also of men;
these are ever endowing you with
beauty from their hearts.
Poets are weaving for you a web
with threads of golden imagery;
painters are giving your form ever
new immortality.
--- (The Gardener)
The sea gives its pearls, the mines
their gold, the summer gardens their
flowers to deck you, to cover you, to
make you more precious.
The desire of men's hearts has shed
its glory over your youth.
You are one half woman and one
half dream.
--- (O Woman)
The one that I consider a modern dame
I am indebted to her indeed for my fame.
I have always received the very best indeed
I have had reward and punishment, when in need.
I have left proof enough that today's woman
has influenced the flow of life in this old man.
— (The Modern Woman)
A coarse sari tightly winds around her
dark slim limbs.
Probably some absent minded artisan of God
Both her wings remain concealed and unseen within.
Walking and flying have mingled in her tilting gait.
— (The Santal)
PORTFOLIO CREDITS
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Make-up and Hair: Noyon Ahamed and Niloy
Styling: Sonia Yeasmin Isha
Location: Mermaid Beach Resort, Cox’s Bazar
Poet: Rabindranath Tagore
Translations: Collected