Liminality

In her poem “Still Life,” Katie Ford presents a pond as a liminal space capable of supporting life and sparking thought outside of dominant perspectives. Though the speaker does not indicate if this particular pond is situated in an urban environment or is human-made, the setting still evokes nature. The opening line “down by the pond” indicates that the pond could be some distance away from where the speaker resides. That a group of addicts sleeps there, unsheltered and exposed to the elements, highlights their marginal existence. While marginality and liminality are distinct concepts, here they intertwine in the addicts’ lives. This population exists on the edge of society and culture, where they often face intense prejudice. Overall, the speaker does not disparage the pond and the addicts. Using vivid figurative language, the speaker foregrounds the beauty and biodiversity of the scene while subtly acknowledging a...