SELECTED POEMS AND SONGS

Rabindranath Tagore Selected Poems and Songs

Translated by Kshitis Roy

Illustrated by K G Subramanyan

When Kshitis Roy (1911-95) joined Visva-Bharati at Santiniketan in 1934 as a lecturer in English, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) had just entered the final phase of his lifelong creative adventure; his creativity exploring new possibilities in painting, poetic expression, music, dance-and education. Roy soon became part of his inner circle, and a collaborator on many of his projects, particularly as one of the poet's favourite translators. The present volume offers a comprehensive selection of Roy's translations from Tagore, including nearly 170 songs, which are more readings of the originals, than renderings-'neither literal nor literary... an aid to the understanding of the meanings of the songs... an incentive to the non- Bengali to try and learn some of the songs of Tagore in their original wording and melody,' as he explained himself.