Moving Poetry at Kips Bay NYPL (4)

Moving Poetry at Kips Bay NYPL (4)

For the fourth session of "Moving Poetry: Indian Dance and Poetry" at the Kips Bay New York Public Library, we explored the theme of nature and its depiction in dance, through the poem "Over the green and yellow rice fields" by Rabindranath Tagore. 

Over the Green and Yellow Rice Fields
Rabindranath Tagore

Over the green and yellow rice-fields sweep the
shadows of the autumn clouds followed by the swift-
chasing sun.
The bees forget to sip their honey; drunken with
light they foolishly hover and hum.
The ducks in the islands of the river clamour in joy
for mere nothing.
Let none go back home, brothers, this morning, let
none go to work.
Let us take the blue sky by storm and plunder space
as we run.
Laughter floats in the air like foam on the flood.
Brothers, let us squander our morning in futile songs.

Flying High Together (Group poem)
Brothers and sisters, we shall... 

​Eat the rice for dinner,
Sing with joy,
Dance in the rice fields with the stalks,
Catch the fish, prawns, and crabs,
Go to work and go back home, 
Fly high with bees and ducks, 
Meditate. 

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