Firesmoke

Poetry. Women's Studies. FIRESMOKE continues in the tradition of the ghazal that formed the author's first book, BLEEDING LIGHT. A ghazal is a poetic form dating back to seventh-century Persia, consisting of couplets and a refrain, in which, traditionally, each line contains the same meter or length. In the last couplet of each ghazal, the poet often refers to him- or herself. When a fire burns, ashes fall to the ground (form), and smoke ascends to the sky (emptiness). FIRESMOKE examines the relationship between form and emptiness, and asks the question of how fire can arise from both life and death. FIRESMOKE also explores the notion of the feminine principle, the alchemy of nature and the impermanence of life.