Liminality

Louise Glück’s poem “All Hallows” offers various states of liminality, from its physical setting to its emotional and spiritual registers. Liminality refers to occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold. In poetry, liminality represents the transformative space between established states, identities, and understandings. Glück is known for exploring liminality in her poems. Her poem “All Hallows” blurs the lines between nature, human consciousness, and the supernatural, allowing the mythic to exist alongside the mundane.

“All Hallows” takes place at a time of the year where the veil between worlds is said to be thin. Thus the title itself encapsulates a moment of transition and reflection. It alludes to the Celtic tradition of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the darker time of the year when the spirits of the dead mingled...