Carpe Diem Weekend-Meditation #25 Use That Quote

!!! Open for your submissions next Sunday, March 25th, at 7:00 PM (CET)  !!!

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at a new Carpe Diem Weekend-Meditation. This weekend I have chosen for "Use That Quote". In this feature I will give you a quote for your inspiration to create haiku, tanka or other Japanese poetry form.

For this weekend meditation I have chosen a quote by Rabindranath Tagore, one of my favorite Indian poets.

Rabindranath Tagore

Let me tell you first a little background on Tagore:

Viswakavi (World Poet) Rabindranath was born on May 9, 1861 in Bengal. His father Maharihi Devendranath Tagore was a rich man and an aristocrat and his mother was Sarada Devi. He was the eighth son and fourteenth child of his parents. Rabindranath Tagore was not sent to any school. He was educated at home by a tutor. Rabindranath was not happy, getting educated within the four walls. He was a curious and creative child. Even as a boy he felt that nature is a mystery and he should unravel the secrets of nature, through education.

Though he was educated at home, he studied many subjects and there was a method in his studies. He would get up early. After physical education he would study Mathematics, History, Geography, Bengali and Sanskrit. In the afternoon, he learnt drawing, English and play games. On Sundays he would learn music and conduct experiments in science. Reading plays was of special interest to him. He was happy to read plays of Kalidas and Shakespeare. He had a special interest in Bengali, which was his mother-tongue. 

Rabindranath started writing poetry in Bengali. His poem “Sandya Geet” (Song of Dusk) was appreciated by many, including Sri Bankimchandra Chatterji, who wrote the National song “vandemataram”. He later wrote in Bengali a number of devotional songs “Nivgarer”, “Prabhat Sangeet” etc.

“Gitanjali” is a well-known collection of his poems. Gitanjali contains his various noble thoughts common to the vast humanity, viz. pessimism, love, satisfaction, dignity of labour etc. for this book “Gitanjali” Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1931. Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913. Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian to get a Nobel Prize and the British Government conferred on him knighthood and gave the title of “Sir”.
He breathed his last on August 7, 1941, leaving his thoughts and ideas for all to follow.

Cover Gitanjali

Here is the quote to work with:

[...] "The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough." [...]  Rabindranath Tagore.

A nice quote I think. It gives possibilities to create Japanese poetry with this quote for your inspiration I think.

such fragility
a butterfly rests on my hand
precious moment

© Chèvrefeuille


Well ... I wish you all a wonderful weekend.

This episode is open for your submissions next Sunday March 25th at 7:00 PM (CET) and will remain open until April 1st at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, another beautiful poem by Rumi, the Mystical Poet, later on.

Chèvrefeuille's Gift To You To Celebrate Our First Luster Of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #5 Use That Quote

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I had some spare time so time again for a new episode of "Chèvrefeuille's Gift ..." This episode I love to challenge you to create a haiku or tanka inspired on a quote given. Maybe you can remember our special feature "Use That Quote"?

Today I have a nice quote for you by one of my favorite philosophers Rabindranath Tagore:

[...] "Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky." [...]

© Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore (1861 – 1941), was a Bengali polymath who reshaped Bengali literature and music, as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Sometimes referred to as "the Bard of Bengal", Tagore's poetic songs were viewed as spiritual and mercurial; however, his "elegant prose and magical poetry" remain largely unknown outside Bengal.

Tagore wrote wonderful prose, poetry and songs. In his "Gitanjali" (Song Offerings) he included lots of beauties with a deep spiritual meaning. For his "Gitanjali" he got the Nobel Prize in Literature and I just love to reproduce one of his songs taken from the "Gitanjali":

On the day when the lotus bloomed, alas, my mind was straying, and I knew it not. My basket was empty and the flower remained unheeded.
Only now and again a sadness fell upon me, and I started up from my dream and felt a sweet trace of a strange fragrance in the south wind.
That vague sweetness made my heart ache with longing and it seemed to me that it was the eager breath of the summer seeking for its completion.
I knew not then that it was so near, that it was mine, and that this perfect sweetness had blossomed in the depth of my own heart.

 

Well ... I hope you did like this "gift" and that it will inspire you to create haiku, tanka or other Japanese poetry form inspired on the quote given.

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until June 30th at noon (CET).

 

Carpe Diem #1014 dawn

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Today I have a beautiful quote by one of the greatest Indian poets ever, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). I once read a small novel written by him with all short philosophical stories ... I was "sold" immediately.

Rabindranath Tagore 

And here is the quote for your inspiration:

[...] "Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark." [...] Rabindranath Tagore

Have fun!

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until August 9th at noon (CET).

Carpe Diem Distillation #7, Tagore's ''Lotus''

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

It's a long time ago that we had a distillation challenge, but I was on a roll today, so I thought to make another episode of this special feature Distillation. In this special feature the goal is to 'distil' a haiku from a long-poem.
For this episode of Distillation I have chosen a poem by Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) titled 'Lotus'. Tagore has written a lot of poems and was adored by a lot of people, not only for his poems, but also for his spiritual thoughts.

Here is the poem which you have to distil a haiku from:

Credits: Lotus

Lotus

On the day when the lotus bloomed, alas, my mind was straying,
and I knew it not. My basket was empty and the flower remained unheeded.

Only now and again a sadness fell upon me, and I started up from my dream and felt a sweet trace of a strange fragrance in the south wind.

That vague sweetness made my heart ache with longing and it seemed to me that is was the eager breath of the summer seeking for its completion.

I knew not then that it was so near, that it was mine, and that this perfect sweetness had blossomed in the depth of my own heart.

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

Credits: Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

This episode of CD's "Distillation" is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until May 25th 11.59 AM (CET). Have fun, be inspired and share your distilled haiku with us all.