The Country Without a Post Office
We’re glad this article found its way to you. If you’re not a subscriber, we’d love for you to consider subscribing—your support helps make this journalism possible. Either way, we hope you enjoy the read. Click to subscribe: subscribing
Agha Shahid Ali
Penguin Books India
104 pages, ₹ 299
Originally published in 1997, this is a haunting volume of poems about Kashmir by a poet who had established his reputation with previous collections such as A Nostalgist’s Map of America. Amidst rain, fire and ruin, in a land of “doomed addresses”, Ali evokes the tragedy of his birthplace. These are poems of extraordinary formal precision and virtuosity, intensely musical, steeped in history, myth and politics, all merging into Agha Shahid Ali’s finest mode, that of longing.
Thanks for reading till the end. If you valued this piece, and you're already a subscriber, consider contributing to keep us afloat—so more readers can access work like this. Click to make a contribution: Contribute