The elemental Poetry of Fire!

Last night was our fortnightly soirée at Cherish, where we gather to explore the poetics of French philosopher Gaston Bachelard. It was a truly lovely evening, made even better by two new participants who, it seems, enjoyed the evening as much as we did!

This session centered around fire—and the elemental poetry it ignites. Drawing inspiration from Bachelard's Psychoanalysis of Fire, Fragments of a Poetics of Fire, and The Light of a Candle, we each wrote several pieces. Two of these we kept to ourselves, while one was offered up to our circle of living, breathing poets.

I always leave sharing as optional, but so far, everyone has shared their creations—and it's my favorite part of the evening. Hearing what others have created, right then and there, brings a unique magic to the room. There’s an intimacy and spontaneity that reminds me of improv theatre, which I often find more vibrant and engaging than scripted plays (especially those with a bit of grace—my favorite being the Court Jesters, from our Court Theatre!). Poetry shared in this way carries a similar thrill. When I’m at home reading poetry, I sometimes connect deeply with a particular piece, and when that happens, it’s an experience like Emily Dickinson described—shivers, goosebumps, and that feeling of being both burned and frozen at once. And in these workshops, those moments happen far more often, perhaps because the room itself feels alive with creativity.

These sessions take hours to prepare—I read, create prompts, and design a supportive structure. And it is absolutely worth it!

My gratitude to Cherish for the beautiful nest they’ve created, to Susannah for her inspiring voice and soulful support, and to everyone drawn to philosophy, poetics, and creativity. I feel truly blessed to spend time with such inspiring people.