Clouds heap upon clouds and it darkens by Rabindranath Tagore [ Song Offerings, Gitanjali ]

“Clouds heap upon clouds and it darkens” is one of the spiritually evocative poems from Gitanjali (Song Offerings) by Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate poet of Bengal. This poem explores the poet’s deep yearning and profound sense of separation from the divine presence. The piling of clouds symbolises the veil of worldly illusion, ignorance, and despair that obscures the light of the eternal. The poet stands helpless, yearning for a divine encounter, while the sky darkens and hope appears distant.

Despite the heavy imagery of gloom and solitude, the underlying essence of the poem is one of spiritual longing and unwavering devotion. Tagore uses nature as a metaphor for inner emotional states, where darkness represents the trials of the soul on its path toward divine realisation. His voice in the poem remains humble and reverent, calling upon the divine to appear and remove the shadows with its grace. As with many poems in Gitanjali, this piece reflects Tagore’s deep spiritual vision, blending human emotion with a transcendental quest for union with the infinite.

Serial Number of the song : 18

Clouds heap upon clouds and it darkens.

Clouds heap upon clouds and it darkens. Ah, love, why dost thou let me wait outside at the door all alone?

In the busy moments of the noontide work I am with the crowd, but on this dark lonely day it is only for thee that I hope.

If thou showest me not thy face, if thou leavest me wholly aside, I know not how I am to pass these long, rainy hours.

I keep gazing on the far away gloom of the sky, and my heart wanders wailing with the restless wind.

Read more:

• Song Offerings TOC, Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore