Hill is the author of a poetry collection, has published widely in literary journals, and is an editor for a university publications department. In the following essay, Hill examines "Ghazal" as a part of Spires's overall theme of a continuous life/death cycle, notes its similarity to her other poems, and suggests a preoccupation with melancholia in middle age.

An individual poem pulled from a collection in which a recurring theme runs through most of the works may be read, enjoyed, analyzed, and understood on its own; however, reading it in context with its partner poems contributes to a deeper, well-rounded comprehension of its message and inspiration. "Ghazal" is one poem in a volume of many poems about the inevitable passing of time and what it means to the human being—aging, sadness, loss, fear, and death. But it does more than share an overall theme with...