Matthew Zapruder: Pick of the Week [ed. Terence Winch]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ceasing to Be

 

The idea is simple. Lucretius wanted to rid 

the world of death fear by writing 

On the Nature of Things. He says we fear 

death only believing the mind somehow 

continues even after the skull that holds it 

is broken and harmless vapor leaks out 

into everything dissolving. It's

true I fear my death, but I fear 

the death of others more, because that's 

a death without death through which 

I must live. Or I fear my death 

for the death others will have to live through 

without me. That and probably pain 

are why people are afraid. Anyway a world 

without death fear would be even more scary. 

Not that it matters. Death and fear. One 

hand of steel, one of gold. Even you 

wouldn't know which to cut off or reach 

out for first Lucretius, because it is always 

very dark here in the future. 

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Matthew Zapruder is the author most recently of Father’s Day and Why Poetry. He is editor at large at Wave Books, and teaches in the MFA in creative writing at Saint Mary’s College of California. [For more poems by, and information on, Matthew Zapruder, click this link.]

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   Botticelli’s ​Primavera (Spring), 1482.  Lucretius’ “De rerum natura” (On the Nature of Things) is a first-century BC didactic poem by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius (c. 99 BC – c. 55 BC), whose goal was to explain Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience. The work begins with a tribute to Venus (at the center of this painting), but very quickly shifts its focus to the philosopher Epicurus.

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Comments

[lally]

wow...what an insightful poem...thanks for posting...

[Terence Winch]

MDL: Glad you dug it.

[Howard Bass]

A poem of awesome depth and power. Thanks for this one, Terence.

[Terence Winch]

Howard: thanks for that comment.

[Barbara Henning]

I love this poem.

[Gerald Fleming]

Matthew Zapruder's one of my favorite poets, and a wonderful man. Thank you, Terence.

[Ann Bracken]

I love this poem--especially the hand of steel or the hand of gold. Powerful reverie.

[Clarinda harriss]

This poem is wise and wonderful. Lucretius always takes me to the idea of dinglichkeit (sp) which means “the thinginess of things.” Thanks both of you poets! Well, Lucretius too

[Doug Pell]

Great Poem. There is a fascinating book about Lucretius titled "Swerve" by Greenblatt. Highly recommend.

[Terence Winch]

Thanks for the comment, Jerry.

[Terence Winch]

Thanks, Clarinda. Great comment.

[Amy Gerstler]

Matthew Zapruder has a beautiful mind. Here, he unpacks existential dread with a ringing clarity, and calmly considers what it's like being yanked back and forth by those amazing gold and steel hands every living moment. How is he able to do this so lucidly in only 20 lines, in a poem that is both soothing and unsettling?

[Grace Cavalieri]

"Death and fear. One

hand of steel, one of gold"

beautiful poem

[Eileen]

I love this poem Death is indeed a mystery.

[Elinor Nauen]

Wow, thank you for this. Adds usefully & beautifully to the constant conversation in my mind.

[Peter Kearney]

It seems Lucretius wants to take one reality, death fear, and change it into two, death and fear. but neither he nor we can separate them, living in darkness as we do. How much better to accept the fear and reflect on it, as this fine poet does!