THE WAR-DRUMS ARE SOUNDED
 -
Rabindranath Tagore

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1m¡ ¯hn¡M, 1410

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The war-drums are sounded.
Men force their features into frightfulness
         and gnash their teeth;
and before they rush out to gather raw
          human flesh for death's larder,
they march to the temple of Budhha,
          the compassionate,
to claim his blessings,
while loud beats the drum rat-a-tat
and earth trembles.

They pray for success;
for they must raise weeping and wailing
in their wake, sever ties of love,
plant flags on the ashes of desolated
          homes,
devastate the centers of culture
and shrines of beauty,
mark red with blood their trail
across green meadows and populous
          markets,
and so they march to the temple of Budhha,
          the compassionate,
to claim his blessings,
while loud beats the drum rat-a-tat
and earth trembles.

They will punctuate each thousand of
          the maimed and killed
with the trumpeting of their triumph,
arouse demon's mirth at the sight
of the limbs torn bleeding from women
         and children;
and they pray that they may befog minds
         with untruths
and poison God's sweet air of breath,
and therefore they march to the temple
          of Buddha, the compassionate,
to claim his blessings,
while loud beats the drum rat-a-tat
and earth trembles.


Translated by the poet himself.

 

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n¡¢¿¹¢eÂLae, 7C S¡e¤u¡l£, 1938  


A¡L¡nc£u¡ 
1m¡ ¯hn¡M, 1410