Little Bird, Little Bird

"Little Bird, Little Bird"

BY THE REV. NARAYAN WAMAN TILAK ¹

Little bird, little bird, will you return to me?

Little bird, little bird, will you not remember

The little pleasant autumn hour?

Little bird, little bird, will you not remember

My breath which has mingled with the wind?

No, no, my little one, you will fly away I know;

You will fly away with the first coming of the summer wind

And disappear from my poor forsaken world.

Stay awhile, therefore, little thing; for once

Let me look at you.

See this little scar you made on my wrist when you

First came to me, little bird . . .?

The scar will remain: but you will be away.

Forget me, little bird, in the great wide world

And fly away.

But stay awhile, and accept this tearful farewell

Little bird . . .

Translated from MARATHI by

R. L. RAU.

^{1 The Rev. Narayan Waman Tilak was a very popular poet of Maharashtra and a great writer of verse and devotional literature. Most of his poems are set to music and the above sad refrain is sung in every cultured home in Maharashtra.}