Embers in the Silence: A Pilgrimage Through Memory, Flame, and Light

In language both luminous and crafted, Cory M. Pfarr’s poems meditate on the ever-shifting mysteries that constitute this life. From Devil’s Den to the Borgo Pass, from the boundless fire of youth to the searing light of experience, these companionable lyrics traverse the heart’s geography as they delight in “singing a song / the hills have carried for ages.” Preoccupied with big questions about love and duty, beauty and time, the universe and the self, Pfarr instructs us how to love an imperfect world and convinces us of the measureless rewards for doing so. Embers in the Silence is an elegant and intelligent debut.

—Joseph J. Capista, author, Intrusive Beauty and the Hollis Summers Poetry Prize winner

From the shadows of youthful conflict and constructed memories of embattled history into light-filled reflections upon personal desire and yearning, Embers in the Silence is an intimate collection of poems which moves the reader through various stages of loss and love, ultimately resting with the author’s enduring belief in hope and faith. Pfarr is a gifted wordsmith, inviting us into his personal evolution which resonates with universal appeal.

—Nancy Siegel, Ph.D., Professor of Art History, Towson University