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O Fool, try to carry thyself upon thy own shoulders!  O beggar,

to come beg at thy own door!

Leave all thy burdens on his hands who can bear all, and never

look behind in regret.

Thy desire at once puts out the light from the lamp it touches

with its breath.  It is unholy–take not thy gifts through its

unclean hands.  Accept only what is offered by sacred love.

Here is thy footstool and there rest thy feet where live the

poorest, and lowliest, and lost.

When I try to bow to thee, my obeisance cannot reach down to the

depth where thy feet rest among the poorest, and lowliest, and

lost.

Pride can never approach to where thou walkest in the clothes of

the humble among the poorest, and lowliest, and lost.

My heart can never find its way to where thou keepest company

with the companionless among the poorest, the lowliest, and the lost.

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From: GITANJALI – ‘Song Offerings’

    By: RABINDRANATH TAGORE

Links

Tagore Short Poems

Tagore Stray Birds

Tagore Poems