164 The Future Poetry
in the question at issue; for these translations are nothing but
a rhythmically poetic prose and that kind of writing, cadenced
prose poetry, a well recognised form, cannot and does not try
to compete with the established principle of measure; it is an in-
dulgence, a minor variation which has yet its definite place and
serves certain purposes which could not otherwise be fulfilled
with any adequacy. It is perhaps the only method for the work
Tagore intended, a poetic translation of poetry reproductive of
the exact thought and spiritual intention of the original; for
a version in the fixed measures of another language not only
substitutes another mould for the original movement, but by the
substitution gives it almost another soul, so powerful, distinct
and creative a thing is poetic rhythm; but the more flexible,
less insistent cadence of poetic prose does not so seize on and
recast the spirit of the original movement; it may even give a
far-off minimised shadow, echo, illusion of it, if the same or a
similar spirit is at work: it can never have the same power, but it
may have some echo of a similar suggestion. When for instance
Tagore writes in English, —
Thou settest a barrier in thine own being and thou callest thy
severed self in myriad notes. This thy self-separation has taken
body in me. The great pageant of thee and me has overspread
the sky. With the tune of thee and me all the air is vibrant, and
all ages pass with the hiding and seeking of thee and me. —we have a very beautiful delicately cadenced poetic prose and
nothing more. Tagore is what some of the French writers ofvers
libreare and Whitman and Carpenter are not, a delicate and
subtle craftsman, and he has done his work with a perfect grace
and spiritual fineness; but there is no attempt to do anything
more than the just work in hand, no intention of displacing the
old way of poetry in which he has done in his own language
such wonderful things, by a new principle of poetic movement.
If there were any such intention, it would have to be pronounced
a failure. One has only to compare this English prose, beautiful
as it is, with the original poetry to see how much has gone
out with the change; something is successfully substituted which