Also Read
I have got my leave. Bid me farewell, my brothers! I bow to you all and take my departure.
Here I give back the keys of my door - and I give up all claims to my house. I only ask for last kind words from you.
We were neighbours for long, but I received more than I could give. Now the day has dawned and the lamp that lit my dark corner is out. A summons has come and I am ready for my journey.
 |
| Gitanjali Poem no. 93 |
Summary
The poem bids a farewell to the pleasures of earthly life. The poet feels that the time for his leave from the materialistic world has come and he humbly bids goodbye to his fellow beings whom he calls 'my brothers'. He gives up all claims and possessions. He wants to return back the key to his life. He knows that the materialistic possessions are of no use for your voyage to heavenly abode. What he needs is the good wishes, kind words and blessing from his near-dear ones. He accepts the truth that he has received a lot more love and affection from his neighbours and his life than whatever he give. The day has broken out and summons for his last voyage to the sea of eternity has come and he is ready for his spiritual journey.
Critical Analysis
The repetition of single theme is monotonous, The same image of Death is depicted again and again in his lyrics. But the felicity of diction, the easiness of words maintains the human interest and readers go through with the same idea with a difference. This is a miracle of his poetic words.
"We were neighbours for long, but I received more thanI could give. Now the day has dawned and the lamp that it my dark corner is out. A summon has come and I am ready for my journey."
The poet is about to embark on his last journey and he bids farewell to his fellowmen. He addresses them as his brothers and says that he received more than he could give. Now he renounces his worldly be longings and asks for nothing but some kind words at the time of parting. He says that he has lived in their neighbourhood for a long time. They have all been kind to him, but he has not been able to amply repay their kindness. He must leave, for the summons of the Almighty has come. The night symbolising the span of earthly life is over; the lamp that lit his own particular corner of the earth has now gone out, in other words, life and energy have departed from him. He is now ready to meet his spiritual lover.
Annotations
My leave: refers to the summon of death. The key of my door: the earthly, corporal possessions. Dawn: here refers to the death unlike his previous passages where he approaches it with a name 'King of darkness'. Summons: order.