Page:Poems of the Great War - Cunliffe.djvu/280

 254 RABIN DRANATH TAGORE

Strike my drowsy heart with thy spell of youth !

Let my joy in life blaze up in fire.

Let the shafts of awakening fly piercing the heart of

night and a thrill of dread shake the palsied

blindness, I have come to raise thy trumpet from the dust.

Sleep is no more for me — my walk shall be through

showers of arrows. Some shall run out of their houses and come to my

side — some shall weep. Some in their beds shall toss and groan in dire dreams : For to-night thy trumpet shall be sounded.

From thee I had asked peace only to find shame. Now I stand before thee — help me to don my

armor ! Let hard blows of trouble strike fire into my life. Let my heart beat in pain — beating the drum of thy

victory. My hands shall be utterly emptied to take up thy

trumpet.

— Rahindranath Tagore.

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