Poetry can be a very deep manner of expression, akin to music and visual arts. It comes both from the soul and from the imagination. From the Ashes is, in many ways, representative of the diversity of experiences life offers us. The book is divided into three main sections. The Fires section represents the chaotic and challenging energy life contains. The Ashes section represents the processing and lessons learned through life's trials, and the Flight section represents the rising above those trials with new wisdom. The majority of the poems are a reflection of my own thoughts and feelings, but some are purely imagination, and others are a result of "challenges" from my fellow Black Rose poets to write about a picture, feeling, etc. These poems represent the best and worst life has to offer us. I feel that to understand life, one must experience, at least vicariously, all aspects of it.