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Primary sourceBook1928

Fireflies

Rabindranath Tagore · 1928

A 1928 collection of short aphoristic English prose poems written by Tagore, inspired by Chinese and Japanese fan inscriptions.

This collection of aphorisms is Tagore's own late-career work, showing his evolving poetic style.

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What it is

Fireflies is a collection of brief aphorisms and verses written by Rabindranath Tagore, published in 1928 by Macmillan with decorations by Boris Artzybasheff. Tagore notes the pieces grew from thoughts he had written on fans and silk in China and Japan.

Why it matters

The book shows Tagore's late style of condensed, image-rich thought, and his connections to artistic traditions beyond India. It reflects his international travels and his habit of turning brief impressions into lasting verse.

Look closer

  • Why might Tagore compare his fancies to "fireflies" rather than something steadier?
  • How does writing on fans and silk in China and Japan connect to the style of this collection?
  • What does this short, fragmentary form reveal about Tagore's way of thinking?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Rabindranath Tagore on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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