Point of View

“Antidotes to Fear of Death” is written from the first-person perspective of a speaker who builds upon the act of stargazing in order to conceptualize her place in the universe. She spans the distance of space and time to interact with the stars by consuming them and mixing her essence with theirs. Throughout the poem, the speaker maintains a reverent tone that toes the line between scientific objectivity and religious consolation. For example, she takes the fact that the elements of life on earth were synthesized in stars to portray a primordial mist of light in which everything is “Already there / But unconstrained by form” (15-16). Although speakers should not automatically be equated with the poet, the voice in this particular poem stems from Elson’s pursuits as a scientist and as a poet. This poem also demonstrates that Elson grappled with a question fundamental...