Blaze without Burning

Blaze without Burning, William May's debut collection, offers readers of poetry a deeply personal, intricately structured exploration of resilience, transformation, and human connection. Scheduled for publication in May 2025 from Finishing Line Press, this chapbook stands out for its innovative approach to form: each poem in the first section is paired with a "twin" poem in the second section, two poems sharing a title but presenting distinct perspectives. More than a simple stylistic choice, this twinned structure forms the heart of the chapbook, allowing a thematic and emotional resonance that provides an opportunity for the reader to reinterpret and re-experience what has been presented. As in life, nothing in these poems is singular or fixed, but every moment, emotion, and choice communicated within this work has its counterpart. William May's Blaze without Burning exemplifies the ways poetry can illuminate, and ultimately connect us all.