At Midnight.

Written by Rabindranath Tagore.

At midnight the would-be ascetic announced:
“This is the time to give up my home and seek for God. Ah,

who has held me so long in delusion here?”

God whispered, “I,” but the ears of the man were stopped.
With a baby asleep at her breast lay his wife, peacefully

sleeping on one side of the bed.

The man said, “Who are ye that have fooled me so long?”
The voice said again, “They are God,” but he heard it not.
The baby cried out in its dream, nestling close to its mother.
God commanded, “Stop, fool, leave not thy home,” but still

he heard not.

God sighed and complained, “Why does my servant wander

to seek me, forsaking me?”

1896. ¹)