Though evening comes marching slow cadence,

 Signal has stopped all music.

Though vast sky not have any friendly soul,

Though tiring has made thy limbs weak.

Chants Silence “Great danger ”deadly hymn,

Far horizon is veiled in black wrappings. 

Still My Bird, O My bird, not yet---

Don’t close eye don’t you please fold wings.

Know it’s not soothing cadence of forest,

It’s python swelled ocean’s mad hissing.

It’s not home streaked in soft flower paints,

It’s fluffy foam from the ocean’s mad swaying.

Where is shore full of those flowerbeds?

Shelter-branch that makes thy nest loving!

Still My Bird, O My bird, not yet---

Don’t close eye don’t you please fold wings

Stares night at your face lonely long,

Sun boy is fast asleep in the west.

In silent pose waits universe on its seat,

Counts each hour, bated breath.

Just came moon swimming dense black-ocean,

Sits in sky drawn as a thin curvy piece,

Still My Bird, O My bird, not yet---

Don’t close eye don’t you please fold wings.

Stars have spread all fingers in the sky,

Keep staring giving you some hidden hint.

Deep dark deaths chase you below,

Waves hundred splash and sprint.

Who is it at distant shore spreading palm?

Says” Come! Come!” Comes the sound of pleading.

Still My Bird, O My bird, not yet---

Don’t close eye don’t you please fold wings

Fear you not! Exists  no  loving-lock

Not any hope-- hope is just soothing fib

Not any home or space for flowerbeds

Not any words for you to sit and weep

Just have wings and that vast lonely space

Dawn-pathless deep dark darkness drawn in inks

Still My Bird, O My bird, not yet---

Don’t close eye don’t you please fold wings.

P.S Inspired by a Tagore poem but not an exact translation.

Sreenivasarao s has explained the theme in his comment.
I pasting it below.


sreenivasarao s:
That poem was a beautiful rendering of  a lonely  bird that had lost its way ,  flapping its tired wings , struggling to  fly home  across  a vast stretch of sea ; as the darkness and fear  grips the little bird’s heart. Amidst this encircling gloom there is a voice of comfort , hope  and love , calling out “Still My Bird, O My bird, not yet---Don’t close eye don’t you please fold wings.” Don’t give up , keep going.


Throughout Tagore’s work there is strong mystical element. He was  influenced by traditional Indian poetry.-- in his earlier years by the devotional poets like Ramaprasad and Kabir ; and in the later years by the Baoul tradition of rural Bengal,  the beauty and spirit of its ballads calling for faith and  invocation to union with God. The philosopher SN Dasgupta called Tagore "the Greatest of the Bauls of Bengal,"


Tagore as did the Bauls used  the symbol of bird to represent faith  and human spirit  within  the rib cage of the body . Tagore often said  “Faith is the bird that feel the light and sings when the dawn is dark “. By faith he meant  his faith in Love , Truth , his vision of the perfect  , in God and in the miracle of life. It was also the  faith  in  endurance of human spirit amidst chaos , wretchedness and despondency.

The voice of comfort , love and hope  is  that which anchors life ; the faith in love of God .