A Poem on Death

Tombstone

Birth presents us all with an empty canvas,
And when you look closely you can see the tiny grooves in the rough material,
White, pure, untouched.
Yours.

Life makes marks.

Once your frame can no longer contain the spirit,
A masterpiece is complete.

Death can be about dirt.
Dirt and wooden boxes,
Flowers and black umbrellas,
And dreams cut short.

But up close
I see a splash of crimson passion,
Drips in dark hues of melancholy,
Bubbly shades of gamboge, 
I see the streaks of bold phthalo greens and blues,
Rippled blotches of violet and vermillion,
Interconnected strands of pure white.

Stepping back, the hues blend,
Your eyes staring back. 

I can see your memories stained on your fingertips,
The Artist has made their life's work.


 

Othello's Act 5 Soliloquy

              Othello reflects on his deteriorated state as he observes Desdemona and ponders the murder he is about to commit. He surrenders to his emotions, ultimately blaming her disloyal. And yet, even as he is overcome with anger, he does not wish to "shed her blood, / Nor scar that whither skin of hers than snow" (3-4). He wishes not to stain her purity which he deems as false. The world must remember her for her beauty and not for her sin. Othello, especially, wants this clean image to be his last--he wants to have the privilege since his growing insecurities have also made him greedy. By taking away her life, he is fully in control of her, but this is only because he has lost all control of his soul and his jealous emotions. It almost seems as though he feigns selflessness when he says, "Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men" (6). Othello seems to fear that other men will undergo the same dreadful transformation to obsession that has destroyed him. But his line could also be interpreted as a way to say he does not want Desdemona to fall in love with other men that possess better qualities than he. He knows his murder will be permanent, as he metaphorically compares his killing her to "putting out thy light" (10) and picking a rose. He extends the sweet metaphor: "I cannot give it vital growth again. / It needs must wither. I'll smell it on the tree. / O balmy breath, that doest almost persuade / Justice to break her sword!" (15-18). Othello is overwhelmed with the sweet image of Desdemona sleeping, and out of the love for her, feels the slightest persuasion to resist his urge to murder her. However, once again, his emotions override his logic. His memory of her love will be as pure as the image of her sleeping before the murder. Othello justifies this by saying, "Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee / And love thee after" (20).

Othello 5 (Act 4 Scene 1)

               Iago's cruel manipulation of Othello has caused such a dramatic fall for the once confident and powerful leader. His reverent ways as poisoned and destroyed by emotional jealousy. In the first scene of Act 4, the transformation is so severe that Othello cannot handle his reactions and loses consciousness. The state he is in is irreversible. Thus, Othello experiences the torment of a confirmation bias when presented with Desdemona. She explains to Lodovico the falling out between Othello and Cassio, adding her side: "I would do much / T' atone them, for the love I bear to Cassio" (IV.i.254-255). Her words are interpreted by Othello as total confirmation for her feelings toward Cassio, highlighting even more his jealous feelings as well as his insecurities. However, no one other than Iago, Othello, and the audience are aware of the ridiculous accusations. Desdemona and Cassio are utterly clueless and blindly placed in an untrue scenario entirely constructed by Iago's imagination and ability to twist actions into meanings. Othello, a man once so gentle an completely infatuated by Desdemona decides to strike her. His inner savage and uncontrollable emotion ultimately lead to his downfall. As such changes occur, there exist more reasons for Desdemona to choose Cassio over Othello. In a way, his actions are the only force pushing her away.