The Gardener #6, Rabindranath Tagore -1914

The tame bird was in a cage, the
free bird was in the forest.

They met when the time came, it was
a decree of fate.

The free bird cries, "O my love, let
us fly to wood."

The cage bird whispers, "Come
hither, let us both live in the cage."

Says the free bird, "Among bars,
where is there room to spread one's wings?"

Alas," cries the cage bird, "I should
not know where to sit perched in the
sky."

The free bird cries, "My darling,
sing the songs of the woodlands."

The cage bird says, "Sit by my side,
I'll teach you the speech of the learned."

The forest bird cries, "No, ah no!
songs can never be taught."

The cage bird says, "Alas for me, I
know not the songs of the woodlands."

Their love is intense with longing,
but they never can fly wing to wing.

Through the bars of the cage they
look, and vain is their wish to know
each other.

They flutter their wings in yearning,
and sing, "Come closer, my love!"

The free bird cries, "It cannot be, I
fear the closed doors of the cage."

The cage bird whispers, "Alas, my
wings are powerless and dead."