I Won't Let You Go

Book excerpt: In this stunning collection of poems by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, acclaimed translator Ketaki Kushari Dyson brilliantly captures the energy and lyricism of the legendary poet’s verses. The title poem evokes the inner turmoil of a man who must return to the drudgery of work after visiting his home for the Durga Puja vacation. Haunted by his four-year-old daughter’s parting words, ‘I won’t let you go!’ he finds his anguish reflected in the vagaries of nature, with the earth echoing his pain. The other poems in this collection brim with Tagore’s compassionate humanity and delicate sensuousness. From detailing the nuances of intimate relationships to ruminating on the vast cosmos, these poems glow with a burning awareness of man’s place in the universe, reaffirming Tagore’s reputation as one of India’s greatest modern poets. In what a profound sadness are sky and earth immersed! The further I go, the more I hear the same piteous note: I wont let you go!