Fire Burning On the River: Dohas of Devotion & Ecstasy

In the tradition of spiritual poetry, the doha is a form unique and revelatory. It ranges from a verse structured in self-contained rhyming couplets, like the poetry of Kabir and Mirabai; to spontaneous songs of spiritual realization seen in the beloved Tibetan work, “The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa.” No matter the form, however, the doha is a means of glimpsing the genuine experiences of spiritual masters. Yet, the doha is not simply reserved for saints and enlightened beings.

In her second collection of poetry, “Fire Burning on the River: Dohas of Devotion & Ecstasy,” Krista Schwimmer uses a wide array of literary devices to weave together story and experience. Whether writing about her private interviews with Buddhist masters or her intimate relationships as a young woman, Schwimmer is candid and lyrical. Part devotional, part irreverent, her poems give the reader a genuine glimpse into the inner world of a spiritual aspirant.