Prayer for Strength | Poem 4 | English 8th | Tulip Series | (R. N. Tagore)

Poems – Tulip Series | jandkncert |

Prayer for Strength | Poem 4 | English 8th | Tulip Series |
(R. N. Tagore)

Prayer for Strength

This is my prayer to thee, my Lord

Strike at the root of penury in my heart.

Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.

Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.

Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before

Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles."

And give me the strength to surrender my strength to Thy Will with love.

(Rabindranath Tagore)

 

Short Summary

"Prayer for Strength" by Rabindranath Tagore is a spiritual poem that seeks inner strength and resilience from a higher power. In the poem, the speaker acknowledges their weaknesses and limitations, expressing a desire for divine guidance and support. They pray for the strength to face life's challenges with courage and perseverance. Tagore's lyrical language and imagery evoke a sense of humility, surrender, and faith in the face of adversity. The poem emphasizes the importance of spiritual strength in overcoming obstacles and finding peace within oneself.

THINKING ABOUT THE POEM

Q1. Why does the poet want God to strike at his heart?

Ans. The poet prays to God to strike at his heart so that he could bear the joys and sorrows of poverty and he also pray to God to remove hard-heartedness and fill up his heart with love and passion.

Q2. What does the poet want the strength for?

Ans. The poet wants strength to bear his joys and sorrows to make his love fruitful in service, never to disown poor and never to bend before rude people.

Q3. How can love be made meaningful in one’s life?

Ans. If you love someone and your love changes the life of your beloved in a fruitful way with sweet and nice results then you have made your love meaningful in one’s life.

Q4. What should be our attitude towards the poor?

Ans. We should never disown poor; we should always help and love them.

Q5. What does ‘bend my knees’ signify?

Ans. ‘Bend my knees’ in the poem signifies to resist or oppose disrespectful power and not to bend before them.

Q6. Why does the poet want to raise his mind high above ‘daily trifles’?

Ans. The poet wants to raise his mind high above “daily trifles” because he wants to overcome the thinking about the things of little value and think about the great things that may be beneficial for the people.

Q7. Why does the poet ask for strength to surrender his will to God’s will?

Ans. The poet wants strength to surrender his will before God’s will because he knew that there is no power that can resist Almighty. By surrendering his will to God’s will his heart will get purified and he will get love from God and will lead a good life.

LANGUAGE WORK

1. Give me the strength never to disown the poor;

Make the words beginning with prefix ‘Dis-’ which makes a negative word.

Ans. Some words with prefix ‘dis-’ are:

1. Disgrace, 2. Discontinue 3. Disconnect 4. Dislike 5. Dishonest,  6. Disable 7. Discharge, 8. Disagree 9. Disrespect 10. Disown

2. Find the repeated words in the poem and write them in your notebook;

Ans. Words repeated in the poem; 1. Strike 2. Give me 3. Strength