THE BIRDSONG is the echo of the morning light back from the earth.

যাস নে কোথাও ধেয়ে,
দেখ্‌ রে কেবল চেয়ে।
ওই যে পুরব গগন-মূলে
সোনার বরন পালটি তুলে
আসছে তরী বেয়ে--
দেখ্‌ রে কেবল চেয়ে।
ওই-যে আঁধার তটে
আনন্দ-গান রটে।
অনেক দিনের অভিসারে
অগম গহন জীবন-পারে
পৌঁছিল তোর নেয়ে,
দেখ্‌ রে কেবল চেয়ে।
        
ওই-যে রে তোর তরী
আলোয় গেল ভরি।
চরণে তার বরণডালা
কোন্‌ কাননের বহে মালা
গন্ধে গগন ছেয়ে?
দেখ্‌ রে কেবল চেয়ে।

'COME AND HIRE me,' I cried, while in the morning I was walking on the stone-paved road.
Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot.
He held my hand and said, I will hire you with my power.'
But his power counted for nought, and he went away in his chariot.
In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors.
I wandered along the crooked lane.
An old man came out with his bag of gold.
He pondered and said, I will hire you with my money.'
He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away.
It was evening. The garden hedge was all aflower.
The fair maid came out and said, I will hire you with a smile.'
Her smile paled and melted into tears, and she went back alone into the dark.
The sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves broke waywardly.
A child sat playing with shells.
He raised his head and seemed to know me, and said, I hire you with nothing.'
From thenceforward that bargain struck in child's play made me a free man.