posted October 11, 2000 04:05 PM            

By Rabindranath Tagore

(Translated from the original by the poet himself)

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 larder,
they march to the temple of Buddha
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 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 they march to the temple of
Buddha, 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 from women
and children;
and 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...

First published in February 1942, but applicable to Sri Lanka today.

[Tamil Voice]