PAPER BOATS

Paper boats is a poem written by Rabindranath Tagore winner of the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature for his poetic collection Gitanjali. I can read and reread his poems several times and each time I read them I get a different perspective of life. Considered a true polymath he contributed greatly towards Bengali literature through his writings. His writings point out the fact that he was far ahead of his time. This is perfectly reflected in his writings.

Reading Paper Boats brought to my mind many childhood memories, the picture of carefree days, fun and frolic with friends. The poet writes

I load my paper boats with shiuli flower from our garden and hope that these blooms of the dawn will be carried safely to land in the night. 

Shiuli flowers are blooms of October. Known by different names across the states of India this flower is known for its beauty and fragrance. Many childhood vibes have been associated with it. It is known as sewali phul in the Assamese. Often in life when we start with something we are left with self-doubts. We worry whether our works will be accepted. These self-doubts give us moments of despondency. The poet visualize the picture of a little boy who keeps on floating his paper boat one by one. He knows not where they would reach but he is hopeful that his paper boats would reach land safely and that someone would find them in another land. The poem speaks so much about life.

Day by day I float my paper boats one by one down the running

 stream.

     In big black letters, I write my name on them and the name of 

the village where I live.

     I hope that someone in some strange land will find them and

 know who I am

    I load my little boats with shiuli flower from our garden, and

 hope that these blooms of the dawn will be carried safely to land

 in the night.

   I launch my paper boats and look up into the sky and see the

 little clouds setting thee white bulging sails.

  I know not what playmate of mine in the sky sends them down

 the air to race with my boats!

  When night comes I bury my face in my arms and dream that my

 paper boats float on and on under the midnight stars.

The fairies of sleep are sailing in them, and the lading is their baskets full of dreams.