Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 2. 1934 — 1935
The other day Prithwi Singh said that Tagore has said your “Life Heavens” [is] not poetry proper. It then occurred to me that I must challenge Tagore who calls you not a poet proper to translate a bunch of your secular sort of poems – say about twenty of them and publish in a small book of about eighty pages with the original on one side. But now that Prithwi Singh is come, we can undertake a mightier task to prove home your sheer poetry. So we propose to do a few of your secular sort of poems like “Night by the Sea” and the whole of “Love and Death,” an ambitious endeavour but worth it. I am fired. Must take up the gauntlet and show these blind people who you are. I propose to take up this task for a month with Nishikanta and Prithwi Singh. Apropos I send you Nishikanta’s translation of your first verse of “Night by the Sea.” I am greatly struck by its beauty and melody and faithfulness and except for “censered honeysuckle guessed by the fragrance of her breast” which we could not quite catch, I believe you will be satisfied. Please explain those two lines. What does it mean? I leave space. Tell me also how you like Nishikanta’s rendering – and if you want improvements anywhere. We will try.
On back please.
I am very much intrigued by Tagore’s dictum. I am always 
ready to admit and profit by criticism of my poetry however adverse, if it is justified – but I should like to understand it first. Why is it not poetry proper? Is it because it is not good poetry – the images, language, are unpoetic or not sufficiently poetic, the rhythm harsh or flat? Or is it because it is too intellectual, leading in ideas more than visions and feelings? Or is it that the spiritual genre is illegitimate – spiritual subjects not proper for poetic treatment? But in that case much of Tagore’s poetry would be improper, not to speak of Donne1 (now considered a great poet), Vaughan2, Crashaw3, etc., Francis Thompson4 and I don’t know how many others in all climes and ages. Is it the dealing with other worlds that makes it not proper? But what then about Blake5, whose work Housman declares to be the essence of poetry? I am at sea about this “poetry proper.” Did he only use this cryptic expression? Was there nothing elucidatory said which would make it intelligible? Or has Tagore by any chance thought that I was trying to convey a moral lesson or a philosophical tenet – there is nothing of the kind there, it is a frequent experience on the spiritual path that is being described in its own proper, one might almost say, objective figures – and that is surely a method of poetry proper. Or is it that the expression is too hard or clear-cut for the soft rondos of poetry proper. I swim helplessly in conjectures.
But where the deuce is the back?
Prithwi Singh will do very well in blank verse I think if we work together for a month or so. I mean to take it up as a sadhana with your blessings and will bring out a book like a shot you’ll see. I am extremely annoyed and fired up. And as I have such a talent by me I can tackle it I think. I have done a whole page almost, see. I will give one third to Prithwi Singh (of “Love and Death”) and one third to Nishikanta. After his render[ing?] of “Night by the Sea” you will agree I hope that he is not likely to fail – if you bless him. Prithwi Singh is also willing to do this, as he too is hurt that Tagore should be so limited.
But if three people write, will not the style of the poem be a little disparate?
Apropos I threaten you with a long letter after the 15th doubting your line, “Tagore is on the same path as ours.” I think that this doubt at least will be healthy as Prithwi Singh also was telling me that Tagore is aesthetic and not spiritual – so how in the name of thunder and hailstorm is he on the same path as you – your kindred by blood of Yoga. Qua poet – perhaps but qua spiritual seeker – how? But I will formulate my attack on your contention for all I am worth later – so don’t answer this question now and vanquish me ahead. Wait.
Day after tomorrow I want to pranam you a second time for Subhash, Niren, Maya and Esha6. A minute only – or half-a-minute.
Yes, half a minute is best.
I will examine the translations more closely afterwards. Have had the most cataclysmal two [?] of all my experience – and I have besides to fish out “Songs to Myrtilla.” I have no idea where it is.
What about Nishikanta’s painting? How did you and Mother find it? Has he improved? I find he has greatly improved as a translator by the [?] – but about painting?
Yes, there is progress. It is a very good painting especially from the decorative point of view – a little lacking in charm, but full of strength. He has evidently a great talent.