The journey by boat*

That boat of Madhu the boatman
Is left tied at the ghat of Rajganj
No one is taking it
As it is filled with jute raw;
If they would give me that
i would attach hundred oars
To it would fly sails four five six-
Would I not with it float
Selling wares , instead would i
Go even if for once
Away voyaging
Seven seas thirteen rivers, just sailing;

Then You should not cry, sitting
At the corner of the hut, lone,
i would not go away like Rama
For fourteen years to some forest;

i would go like a prince
Carrying wealth in the boat
Would take Ashu and Shyam with me
Would we go sailing, we three;
Would go for once voyaging
Seven seas thirteen rivers crossing;

At the morn would set the boat free
And how it would go all by itself (to the sea),
At the noon You would be
At the bank of the pond
Then we would've new kingdom found;

Would go beyond that ghat of Tirpurni
Would go beyond that faraway land,
It would take the whole day for me
To come back to thee,
At the twilight hours surely would
Tell You stories where i had gone
Sitting on thy lap,

Only would i go for once
Crossing seven seas thirteen rivers.

{*note : it is a translation/ transliteration of a poem titled ' Noukajatra' ( নৌকাযাত্রা), as can be found at page 31, volume two, ' Shishu' ( শিশু) section,  Collected Works/ রবীন্দ্ররচনাবলি, Birth Centenary edition.  The translation/ transliteration is my humble tribute to Tagore, the child forever, the greatest poet and philosopher of all times}.