under the fire star

I've been reading Alembic almost every day for about two years now -- it's beautifully written, and by a thoughtful person; exactly the kind of writing I like. Now its proprietor, Maria Benet, has published her first book of poetry, Mapmaker of Absences. One feels that people whose words one reads regularly are old friends, or distant relatives -- it's such a pleasure to read about their doings in the world.