Award Date

5-1-2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Department

English

First Committee Member

Claudia Keelan

Second Committee Member

Donald Revell

Third Committee Member

Jane Hafen

Fourth Committee Member

Margot M. Colbert

Number of Pages

53

Abstract

The following collection of poems represents three years of creative work in the Masters of Fine Arts-Poetry program at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Meeting at the intersection of both Jewish and Queer identities, the manuscript is united by the recurring image of a candle. Candles are lit on a wide variety of Jewish occasions, from the Sabbath to the anniversary of a family member's death. They serve as a constant reminder of God's divine presence. In Jewish tradition, candles also represent the human soul, the flame reminding us of the beauty and frailty of life. Proverbs 20:27 states, "The soul of man is the candle of God." Like candles, these poems unite the divine presence of God with the mundane aspects of life: picking apples, shaving, waiting for the train. All of these poems together present one way to light a candle, a constant searching for God's divine presence on Earth.

Keywords

Gays--Identity; Jews--Identity; Light--Biblical teaching; Poetry

Disciplines

Fine Arts | History of Religion | Jewish Studies

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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