Interpreting Louise Gluck's Imagery and Realism about Death, Sorrow, and Beyond-ness

Louise Gluck's poetry is candid, approachable, and relatable. Her intellect and gift are apparent in the way she gives depth to her words. The enigmatic quality of her poetry commands attention and involvement. She mandates the gaps to be filled, the elements of fictitiousness be eliminated, the illusion of reality be realized, and the inherent allegories be decoded. The quiet in intimacy, privacy and interiority characterizes Gluck's voice and she consciously eschews bragging and propaganda. The distinctive coexistence of psyche and feelings renders her poems individual, lyrical, and human. Gluck was being essentially herself. Hers was a voice that dared to articulate fearlessly about death and in imagery not commonly found in lyrics. The paper takes a course through some of her poems to trace and interpret her imagery about death and understand how she perceived and articulated them.