Rabindranath Tagore, 1861 – 1941 poet, playwright, philosopher, composer, artist

I was overjoyed to find a poem about Korea written by India’s most beloved poet; Rabindranath Tagore. He began writing poetry at the age of eight and published his first collection at the tender age of 16 under a pseudonym.

Its my understanding that this poem came about on one of his many trips to Japan. He met a few Koreans there and promised to visit. However at this time it was not possible, so he wrote this poem instead. It was around 1929 I believe. 

         In the golden age of Asia

Korea was one of its lamp bearers

And that lamp is waiting

to be lighted once again

for the illumiation of the East

– Rabindranath Tagore