review of ‘the fire within’ by chiara maxia
by Red, EIC of Alien Buddha Press
The cover of this chapbook sets a chaotic, mystical tone, featuring Joseph Tomanek’s “Nymphs Dancing to Pan’s Flute,” a painting that captures a blurry-eyed POV of naked women dancing tribalistically around a campfire.
The book opens with three quotes: Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Don DeLillo, and Lana Del Rey. Their contrasts and parallels interweave to establish a wild, fiery mood.
The first poem, “All Neon Lights,” takes jabs at exploitative conglomerates like Nike and Coca-Cola, twisting their slogans into biting commentary on capitalist repetition. Near the end, Maxia writes “CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT BUTTER,” a surreal punchline that suggests this isn’t reality. In contrast to the earthy freedom of the cover and title, the poem reminds us that the advertisements we’re constantly bombarded with are a shared illusion rather than the stuff of the real world.
“1999” is a nostalgic glance at the Y2K era, with references to Beavis and Butt-Head, Celebrity Deathmatch, violent video games, and even the Columbine shooters. Maxia seems to be charting a shift from a seemingly innocent time to a darker one, where the world has become more predatory. Mentions of floppy disks and the harmless taste of a strawberry milkshake evoke a bittersweetness of longing.
The short poem “GLITCH” reads:
“amateur video tapes
show 90s babies
eating ice cream at the zoo
animals in cages
the adults are happy”
A dark little moment that questions the innocence of nostalgia. Were we happy to cage animals then, finding ourselves in our own invisible cages now?
The haiku “Girls-Girls-Girls” goes:
“People want poetry
Dripping down the eyes
Of a young go-go dancer”
Perhaps this is a scream aimed not only at the publishing industry but also the way that social media conditions us to value art based on the artist’s image, their sexuality. Exploitation hasd become entertainment.
“BLACK COFFEE” is a poet’s poem, an ode to caffeine and cigarettes, that gradually turns into a self-reflective love letter.
At 91 pages, this chapbook is a slam dunk for The Opiate Books. It is sharp, strange, and deeply relatable. A spicy, barefoot page-turner that will sit comfortably on any poetry lover’s shelf.
Photo of Red (EIC @ Alien Buddha Press)
BIO: Red is the founder and EIC of Alien Buddha Press. He is the author of The Bloody Waste (amazon.com/Bloody-Waste-Red-Focks/dp/1734440988), as well as many other poetry and fiction books. He is a father of one, a Free Palestine supporter, and a Yellowjackets fan living in the scalding heat of Phoenix, AZ.