i cast my net into the sea

in the morning i cast my net into the sea

i dragged up from the dark abyss

things of strange aspect and strange beauty

some shone like a smile,

some glistened like tears,

and some were flushed like the cheeks of a bride

when with the day's burden i went home

my love was sitting in the garden idly

tearing the leaves of a flower

i hesitated for a moment

and then placed at her feet

all that i had dragged up

and stood silent

she glanced at them and said,

'what strange things are these?

i know not of what use they are!'

i bowed my head in shame and thought

'i have not fought for these

i did not buy them in the market;

they are not fit gifts for her.'

then the whole night through

i flung them one by one into the street

in the morning travellers came;

they picked them up and carried them into far countries

all words ~ rabindranath tagore