ROYAL ORDER

English Translation of  Tagore's original Bengali poem “Raj Byabastha”  by DEBIDAS RAY

The emperor - out of fear – stays put in the police station,

Whatever laws he promulgates, are never complied with.

His roving spies are always on the look out,

If by chance, any saintly person strays and is found alone

They have to inform the king at once -

For his safety, they keep the saint in prison.

                                                                                                  

English Translation of Rabindranath Tagore’s poem entitled “Raj Byabastha” in his collection of poems “Chharar Chhabi” in Sanchayita,4th ed.1943, p762.

Published in POETRY WORLD, vol 3(no9),January 2011,p29.