1
Again I’ve returned to this country
where a minaret has been entombed.
Someone soaks the wicks of clay lamps
in mustard oil, each night climbs its steps
to read messages scratched on planets.
His fingerprints cancel bank stamps
in that archive for letters with doomed
addresses, each house buried or empty.
Empty? Because so many fled, ran away,
and became refugees there, in the plains,
where they must now will a final dewfall
to turn the mountains to glass. They’ll see
us through them—see us frantically bury
houses to save them from fire that, like a wall
caves in. The soldiers light it, hone the flames,
burn our world to sudden papier-mâché
inlaid with gold, then ash. When the muezzin
died, the city was robbed of every Call.
The houses were swept about like leaves
for burning. Now every night we bury
our houses—theirs, the ones left empty.
We are faithful. On their doors we hang wreaths.
More faithful each night fire again is a wall
and we look for the dark as it caves in.
2
“We’re inside the fire, looking for the dark,”
one card lying on the street says, “I want
to be he who pours blood. To soak your hands.
Or I’ll leave mine in the cold till the rain
is ink, and my fingers, at the edge of pain,
are seals all night to cancel the stamps.”
The mad guide! The lost speak like this. They haunt
a country when it is ash. Phantom heart,
pray he’s alive. I have returned in rain
to find him, to learn why he never wrote.
I’ve brought cash, a currency of paisleys
to buy the new stamps, rare already, blank,
no nation named on them. Without a lamp
I look for him in houses buried, empty—
He may be alive, opening doors of smoke,
breathing in the dark his ash-refrain:
“Everything is finished, nothing remains.”
I must force silence to be a mirror
to see his voice again for directions.
Fire runs in waves. Should I cross that river?
Each post office is boarded up. Who will deliver
parchment cut in paisleys, my news to prisons?
Only silence can now trace my letters
to him. Or in a dead office the dark panes.
3
“The entire map of the lost will be candled.
I’m keeper of the minaret since the muezzin died.
Come soon, I’m alive. There’s almost a paisley
against the light, sometimes white, then black.
The glutinous wash is wet on its back
as it blossoms into autumn’s final country—
Buy it, I issue it only once, at night.
Come before I’m killed, my voice canceled.”
In this dark rain, be faithful, Phantom heart,
this is your pain. Feel it. You must feel it.
“Nothing will remain, everything’s finished,”
I see his voice again: “This is a shrine
of words. You’ll find your letters to me. And mine
to you. Come soon and tear open these vanished
envelopes.” And reach the minaret:
I’m inside the fire. I have found the dark.
This is your pain. You must feel it. Feel it,
Heart, be faithful to his mad refrain—
For he soaked the wicks of clay lamps,
lit them each night as he climbed these steps
to read messages scratched on planets.
His hands were seals to cancel the stamps.
This is an archive. I’ve found the remains
of his voice, that map of longings with no limit.
4
I read them, letters of lovers, the mad ones,
and mine to him from whom no answers came.
I light lamps, send my answers, Calls to Prayer
to deaf worlds across continents. And my lament
is cries countless, cries like dead letters sent
to this world whose end was near, always near.
My words go out in huge packages of rain,
go there, to addresses, across the oceans.
It’s raining as I write this. I have no prayer.
It’s just a shout, held in, It’s Us! It’s Us!
whose letters are cries that break like bodies
in prisons. Now each night in the minaret
I guide myself up the steps. Mad silhouette,
I throw paisleys to clouds. The lost are like this:
They bribe the air for dawn, this their dark
purpose.
But there’s no sun here. There is no sun here.
Then be pitiless you whom I could not save—
Send your cries to me, if only in this way:
I’ve found a prisoner’s letters to a lover—
One begins: “These words may never reach you.”
Another ends: “The skin dissolves in dew
without your touch.” And I want to answer:
I want to live forever. What else can I say?
It rains as I write this. Mad heart, be brave.
About the Poet
Agha Shahid Ali (1949–2001) was a Kashmiri-American poet known for his poignant and evocative poetry that reflects themes of exile, loss, and longing. His works explore the complexities of identity, memory, and the conflict in Kashmir. He was a master of the ghazal form and introduced it to contemporary English poetry. Some of his significant works include The Half-Inch Himalayas (1987), A Nostalgist’s Map of America (1991), and Rooms Are Never Finished (2001). His poetic style is deeply lyrical and often infused with personal and political undertones.
Background of the Poem
“The Country Without a Post Office” was originally published as Kashmir Without a Post Office in 1997 and later became the titular poem of his collection. The poem was inspired by the turmoil in Kashmir during the late 1980s and 1990s when insurgency and conflict disrupted normal life, cutting off communication between people. The absence of a functioning postal system in Kashmir during this time becomes a powerful metaphor for isolation, loss, and silenced voices. The poem reflects the pain of displacement, the struggle for identity, and the longing for home.
Summary of the Poem
The poem paints a haunting picture of a land torn apart by conflict, where letters lie undelivered, and communication is severed. The speaker mourns the lost connections and the pain of separation as the country becomes a ghost town of silence and despair. The imagery of abandoned letters and unspoken words highlights the theme of exile and suppressed voices. The poem serves as both an elegy and a lament for Kashmir, capturing the helplessness of those caught in the crossfire of history.
Main Themes
- Exile and Loss – The poem captures the emotional and physical displacement caused by conflict, reflecting the pain of those forced to leave their homeland.
- Silence and Suppression – The absence of a functioning postal system symbolizes the suppression of voices and the erasure of communication.
- Conflict and Violence – The turmoil in Kashmir is a backdrop to the poem, illustrating how war and violence disrupt everyday life.
- Longing for Home – The poem expresses deep nostalgia and yearning for a lost homeland, highlighting the pain of exile.
- Memory and History – The poem serves as a historical testimony to the suffering of Kashmiris, ensuring that their experiences are not forgotten.
Poetic Devices Used in the Poem
- Imagery – Vivid descriptions of abandoned letters, empty houses, and war-torn landscapes create a haunting atmosphere.
- Metaphor – The country without a post office symbolizes a place where communication, freedom, and identity are suppressed.
- Personification – Letters are given human-like qualities, emphasizing their role as messengers of unheard voices.
- Alliteration – The repetition of consonant sounds enhances the lyrical quality of the poem.
- Symbolism – The post office stands for communication, connection, and the ability to express one’s thoughts and emotions freely.
- Tone – The poem shifts between elegiac, mournful, and reflective tones, emphasizing the sorrow and longing of the speaker.
Essay Questions for Further Exploration
- How does Agha Shahid Ali use the metaphor of the post office to reflect the themes of exile and loss in the poem?
- Discuss the role of imagery and symbolism in conveying the emotional and political undertones of the poem.
- How does “The Country Without a Post Office” serve as both a personal and political lament?
- Examine the significance of silence and suppressed voices in the poem.
- Compare and contrast Agha Shahid Ali’s depiction of Kashmir with other literary representations of conflict zones.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- What inspired Agha Shahid Ali to write “The Country Without a Post Office”? a) His childhood memories of Kashmir
b) The insurgency and conflict in Kashmir in the 1990s
c) A personal loss
d) A newspaper article
Answer: b) The insurgency and conflict in Kashmir in the 1990s - What does the absence of a post office symbolize in the poem? a) Technological advancements
b) Government inefficiency
c) Loss of communication and suppressed voices
d) The poet’s nostalgia for childhood
Answer: c) Loss of communication and suppressed voices - Which poetic device is prominently used to create vivid images in the poem? a) Hyperbole
b) Imagery
c) Simile
d) Irony
Answer: b) Imagery - What is the tone of “The Country Without a Post Office”? a) Joyful and celebratory
b) Sarcastic and humorous
c) Mournful and reflective
d) Indifferent and detached
Answer: c) Mournful and reflective - How does the poem reflect the poet’s personal connection to Kashmir? a) Through historical references
b) Through a detached journalistic approach
c) Through deep emotional and nostalgic expressions
d) By focusing on mythological themes
Answer: c) Through deep emotional and nostalgic expressions - What is a major recurring theme in Agha Shahid Ali’s poetry? a) Celebration of urban life
b) Exploration of scientific progress
c) Nostalgia, exile, and longing
d) Satirical critique of society
Answer: c) Nostalgia, exile, and longing - What collection includes “The Country Without a Post Office”? a) The Half-Inch Himalayas
b) A Nostalgist’s Map of America
c) The Veiled Suite
d) The Country Without a Post Office
Answer: d) The Country Without a Post Office - What role do letters play in the poem? a) They symbolize forgotten history
b) They are literal letters delivered to loved ones
c) They represent lost voices and suppressed emotions
d) They serve as a critique of bureaucracy
Answer: c) They represent lost voices and suppressed emotions