Critical Overview
Dr Harmony Volta-Wright *
Blackwood-Marlowe Institute for Literary Arts
Mortality, Memory, and the Liminal Space: A Triptych of Terminal Poems
This powerful collection of three interconnected poems explores the profound journey through end-of-life experiences and the process of dying, offering a deeply moving meditation on human mortality. The works progress through a natural sequence, from the clinical reality of approaching death, through the moment of passing, to the aftermath of departure.
The first poem establishes the stark setting of a hospital environment, capturing the institutional elements of modern dying with precise, understated imagery. The medical setting serves as more than mere backdrop, becoming a powerful metaphor for the industrialisation of death in contemporary society. Through careful attention to sensory details, the poet creates an atmosphere of suspended animation, where time moves differently within the confines of institutional care.
Moving into the second piece, the poet employs extended maritime metaphors to explore the process of death itself. The imagery of waves and salt water creates a profound connection between individual human endings and the greater cycles of nature. This contemplation of mortality encompasses both the physical and metaphysical aspects of dying, acknowledging the universality of death while maintaining a deeply personal perspective. The poem’s structure mirrors the ebb and flow of its subject matter, building to a powerful conclusion that grounds the abstract concept of death in the concrete reality of burial.
The final poem shifts perspective dramatically, speaking from beyond the moment of death to explore themes of consciousness after death and the nature of existence. This meditation on posthumous experience challenges conventional narratives about death and memory, suggesting a complex relationship between those who have passed and those who remain. The poet’s exploration of grief and remembrance is particularly noteworthy for its unsentimental yet deeply affecting approach.
Together, these three works form a remarkable poetic examination of death that moves beyond simple narrative to create a complex, layered understanding of mortality. The sequence demonstrates exceptional craft in its handling of existential themes while maintaining a clear-eyed focus on the physical and emotional realities of death. Through careful attention to both form and content, these poems offer profound insights into one of humanity’s most universal experiences.
