Fireflies, a collection of 200 proverbs, aphorisms, and maxims,have their origin in China and Japan where Tagore used to be asked to autograph fans and pieces of silk. The poet eulogizes the fireflies, for the bravery in their tiny body. He compares himself to the fireflies to express his consistent pursuit of light in the darkness. Each epigrammatic represents a brief yet luminous thought on life, beauty, or God. The brevity and crispness of these verses combined with the wit and wisdom contained in them make these poems extremely delightful and reader friendly.
《流萤集》源于印度著名诗人泰戈尔的日本、中国之行，诗集中的诗句主要歌颂了"萤火虫"这类的小虫儿，歌颂那些如它们一样微小而倔强勇敢的生命，即使它们从不被欣赏，也依然在天空中飞翔。同时以流萤比喻作者自己，在黑暗中渴求光明，勇敢无悔地前进。诗句饱含了诗人对于生命、美与神灵的思考。该诗集短小隽永，使人读后心灵变得纯净，有一种精神寻得一片休憩的家园的感觉。