My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!

First Fig by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Ah, my foes! Oh, my friends! Welcome!

My Candle Burns is an occasional newsletter of essays about motherhood and creative practice and everything in the middle, by Amy Bornman. If motherhood has taken you by surprise with its force and beauty, if you are trying to figure out how to be your full self within it, if you are generally walking through the world with the eyes of a seeker, you are in the right place!

The essays in this newsletter are decidedly informal, and reflect what I am thinking about and puzzling over in the midst of full time caregiving and longer-term creative projects. This may be polished essays, drafts of brand new poetry, or process notes on my small press publications. Two of my offline projects to highlight: Broken Waters, my second full length poetry collection, is out now with Fernwood Press. And Imaginary Lake, my small press, has published a variety of zines about matrescence.

I have loved blogs and the free network of excellent informal writing on the internet for as long as I could access it. Reading blogs inspired me so much as a writer, and being able to access those blogs for free made all the difference. Because of this, this newsletter is free to read and will remain that way unless something big changes! But, if you like my writing and you would like to read more and support my work financially, buying my zines is the best way to do that!

Now, a little bit about me so you know who you’re hearing from:

Amy Bornman is a poet, textile artist, and parent living in Pittsburgh, PA. She is the author of two books of poetry, There is a Future (Paraclete Press Poetry, 2020), and Broken Waters (Fernwood Press, 2024), and co-author of How to Sew Clothes (Abrams Books, 2023). She also publishes short-run pamphlets via her small press, Imaginary Lake. Amy’s work focuses on themes of domesticity, caregiving, confession, and spirituality.

It gives a lovely light!

Thanks for being here.