I'll make a pretty paper boat
And float it on the pond,
I'll steer it all alone, alone,
And sail away beyond
The seven mountains, seven seas
Beyond the seven skies,
Until l reach the kingdom where
The mares have ruby eyes.
I'll make a simple paper boat
And float it on the stream;
My paper boat will sail away
As softly as a dream,
Beyond the seven waterfalls
To the kingdom of the wise,
Where dreamy drowsy elephants
Have emeralds for eyes.

I'll make a lovely paper boat
And float It on a lake,
Until I reach some distant shore
I will be eide awake.
I'll pass beyond the seven worlds
To there where nothing dies,
because its little children
Have heaven in their eyes.

Harindranath Chattopdhyay (1898 -1990) was a poet, actor, musician and freedom fighter. Some of his well known poems are 'Shaper Shaped' and 'Noon'. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1973. He played the evil court magician, Barfi in Satyajit Ray's film, Goopy Gyne, Bagha Byne. He was the youngest brother of the poet, Sarojini Naidu.

steer : (here) to guide or control a boat

drowsy : sleepy

distant : far away