Shiuli Quotes

“Morning finds the shiuli
fallen,
white stars on wet earth.
I pick one—
its fragrance
is a memory
I cannot place. A child laughs nearby.
The flower wilts
in my palm.
Everything beautiful
has an expiry date.
I learn this
again
and again”
― Avijeet Das, A Handful of Shuilis

“The Howrah Bridge
swallows the train whole.
I wave at no one.
No one waves back. In my pocket:
a shiuli petal,
pressed flat,
still holding
the scent of your goodbye. The city shrinks.
The heart expands.
This is how
we become
the places
we leave.”
― Avijeet Das , A Handful of Shuilis