In Memory of Fire

by Stephan Delbos

“In Memory of Fire presents a speaker on the verge of disaster. In Delbos’ poems, themes of destruction, loss, and the city intertwine in a complex play of language. Desolation and grief are handled with subtlety and sophistication. While music and biblical imagery present fresh, surprising motifs throughout this work, Delbos’ language maintains precision in a tightly woven arc of humanity against the wild, elemental lack of predictability inherent in relationships and circumstance. In Memory of Fire is a worldly and timeless work, and Delbos’ voice is a fresh and welcome one.” --The Cape Cod Poetry Review

36 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2017

About the author

Stephan Delbos is the Poet Laureate of Plymouth, MA. His poetry, essays and translations have appeared internationally. He is the editor of From a Terrace in Prague: A Prague Poetry Anthology (Litteraria Pragensia, 2011). His play Chetty’s Lullaby, about the life of trumpet legend Chet Baker, was produced in San Francisco in 2014. His co-translation of The Absolute Gravedigger, by Czech poet Vítězslav Nezval, was awarded the PEN/Heim Translation grant in 2015 and was published by Twisted Spoon Press. Deaf Empire, his play about Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, was produced by the Prague Shakespeare Company in 2017. He is the author of the poetry chapbook In Memory of Fire (Cape Cod Poetry Review, 2017), and the poetry collections Light Reading (BlazeVOX, 2018) and Small Talk (Literární salon, 2019). He is a founding editor of B O D Y.

Reviews

[David Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

An astounding and powerful debut for this vital poet. I hope to read another collection by him soon. In Memory of Fire presents a speaker on the verge of disaster. In Delbos’ poems, themes of destruction, loss, and the city intertwine in a complex play of language. Desolation and grief are handled with subtlety and sophistication. While music and biblical imagery present fresh, surprising motifs throughout this work, Delbos’ language maintains precision in a tightly woven arc of humanity against the wild, elemental lack of predictability inherent in relationships and circumstance. In Memory of Fire is a worldly and timeless work, and Delbos’ voice is a fresh and welcome one.

[Daniel Thorley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delbos' poems are by turns devastating and encouraging. His use of language is sharp and skilled, yet lush and musical. The poems are clearly crafted yet lightly handled. There is a stubborn sense of joy here, a worldliness and a sense of the body being liven in. Highly recommended.

[Richard Langer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating, compelling, and disquieting debut. The poet's handle on the language is always subtly on display and delightful. Frankly these poems are marvelous. "Walking to Brevnov" mixes the best of Eliot with a lapsed Catholic surrealism that I found utterly disturbing and heartbreaking.

[Kyle Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is real poetry. Influences? Everything from Lowell to Spicer, Zagajewski to Coltrane. A voice to be recognized and reckoned with.

[Jason Mashak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those expecting Delbosesque jazz poetry will be pleasantly surprised by the straight-up storytelling in this collection, while recognizing his typical musical elements remain, albeit more subtly, within these (at times) epic tales. Within *In Memory of Fire*, Delbos lays the foundational ruins and runes for a new mythology, and its possibilities are infinite... so much so, that I've read the book several times during the past 2.5 years, and only now feel like I may have 'finished' it enough to write even this much about it. It's the history of a world, in 36 pages.