Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Book of the Dead Man (#15)" by Marvin Bell is a deeply philosophical and introspective poem that explores themes of mortality, the physicality of death, and the existential questions that arise from the human condition. Through the dual sections "About the Dead Man and Rigor Mortis" and "More About the Dead Man and Rigor Mortis," Bell crafts a narrative that oscillates between the descriptive and the interrogative, offering a meditation on the nature of being and non-being.

1. About the Dead Man and Rigor Mortis

In the first section, Bell personifies the dead man, attributing to him thoughts and reflections on his post-mortem state. The imagery used to describe the transformation of the dead man's body into a state of rigor mortis is rich and evocative, transforming the biological process into a metaphorical journey. The dead man's body is likened to landscapes and objects—a "canvas bridge," "sanded free forms," "tiny globes in water"—each comparison elevating the physical decay to a form of art or natural beauty. The notion that "this is better" serves as a refrain throughout, suggesting that the dead man's current state is an improvement over his previous sufferings, or perhaps that in death, the physical constraints and pains of life are transcended.

The poem also delves into the idea of the dead man's resolve and will, stretching "from rung to rung, from here to tomorrow," indicating a continuity or legacy that persists beyond death. The mention of the dead man's garden and the Roman methods for burying the Classics introduces themes of memory, history, and the cyclical nature of life and death.

2. More About the Dead Man and Rigor Mortis

The second section shifts to a series of rhetorical questions that challenge the reader's perceptions of death and the dead man's condition. The questions probe the appropriateness of humor, the reality of petrification, and the existential significance of being "turned to stone." Bell questions the agency behind the dead man's transformation, whether it was "predetermined" or a matter of perception, and whether the dead man had awareness of his own state. This interrogation serves to dismantle simplistic views of death, inviting a deeper contemplation of its complexities and the ambiguities surrounding consciousness and identity.

The comparison of the dead man to lightning, "going straight into the ground," underscores a natural, elemental force at work in death, suggesting a return to the earth that is both inevitable and profound. The closing questions, querying the humor and sense-making in the dead man's condition, challenge the reader to confront their own attitudes towards death and the search for meaning in the face of mortality.

"The Book of the Dead Man (#15)" is a compelling and thought-provoking poem that intertwines the physical realities of death with the philosophical and existential questions it evokes. Marvin Bell's use of vivid imagery, metaphor, and rhetorical questioning creates a rich tapestry that invites readers to reflect on the nature of existence, the inevitability of death, and the ways in which we seek to understand and cope with the ultimate unknown.

POEM TEXT: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46606/the-book-of-the-dead-man-15

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