poetry texts, poem archive at plagiarist.com

I don't think anyone writes verse as beautifully as Louise Gluck. She's my personal favorite. This particular poem stands well enough alone, but it was meant as part of a whole. You can't fully appreciate it without reading the other poems in the The Wild Iris, a powerful and enchanting little book. Gluck's poetry, especially that in The Wild Iris, has this pure and transcendent quality that can sometimes make me feel like I hear the voice of God.

I am a person who doesn't really get poems, yet I found myself deeply touched by this poem. Admittedly, I have a somewhat severe form of necrophobia. Also, I consider myself a very spiritual person albeit not a religious person. This poem stimulated my spiritual side without touching on the religious, which intrigued me. It explored that unknown, death, upon which all religion is based. Death, the unknown which we are all heading towards. Paradoxically, this poem also conveys a sense of 'soul,' something eternal and separate from 'body.' I love paradox, so this poem touched me.