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Travelling Souls
Death Kindly Stopped For Me is a haunting, luminous poetry collection that channels the spirit of Emily Dickinson while carving a modern and contemporary voice all its own. What inspired you to write this particular collection of poems?
I was inspired to write this collection of poems after reading Emily Dickinson’s infamous poem “Because I could not stop for Death.” Her personification of Death in this iconic poem is unique and ingenious.
How did you decide on the themes that run throughout your poetry book?
My objective was to personify Death in various different ways, using Dickinson’s poem as an example of one of Death’s multiple personalities. Further on in my book, my poems depict deaths that have resonated with me personally. In my book’s final section, I was inspired to describe experiences of travelling souls, when fear of death has been overcome.
Do you have a favorite poem in the book, and if so, why does it hold special meaning for you?
One of my favorite poems in my book is “Rather an Odd Quirk of Death”, which was first printed in Blue Unicorn Poetry Journal. It has a very tight and mesmerizing rhyme scheme, and I feel it depicts Death as a novel and intriguing personality, someone you would want to be your friend.
What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My next book is another book of poetry entitled Extraterrestrials Congregate and it should be out next year.
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In this mesmerizing collection, Death steps forward—not as something to fear, but as a presence offering grace, wisdom, and a strange kind of solace. Through rhythmic, lyrical verse, Jackson explores life’s impermanence, weaving together themes of faith, doubt, and the beauty of the unknown.
Echoing Dickinson while speaking to the modern soul, this collection challenges the way we see Death—not as a shadow, but as an invitation to something deeper.
Death Kindly Stopped For Me: A Book of Poetry Inspired by Emily Dickinson
Corey Elizabeth Jackson’s Death Kindly Stopped For Me is a haunting, luminous collection that channels the spirit of Emily Dickinson while carving a voice all its own. Through meditations on mortality, transcendence, and the soul’s voyage beyond the veil, Jackson crafts poetry that is both graceful and profound. Divided into four sections, Death Befriended, Kindred Spirits, Death Released, and Soulscape the collection reimagines Death not as an adversary, but a quiet companion. Dickinson’s enigmatic tone lingers like a spectral echo, yet Jackson infuses each page with vivid, celestial imagery that feels strikingly original.
Jackson’s emotional range is remarkable. There’s a delicate balance of sorrow and tenderness throughout, most evident in poems like Death Wrapped a Shawl Around My Shoulder, where Death emerges as a caregiver gentle, yet unnerving. In Death Amongst the Daffodils, the afterlife glows with warmth, casting eternity as a sunlit field. Light and shadow dance across the verses, invoking Dickinson’s own paradoxes while offering fresh interpretation.
What distinguishes this collection most, however, is Jackson’s distinctive, modern voice. Poems like Barbie Could Not Stop for Death and With Covid Deaths We Can More Widely See ground the work firmly in the present, bringing contemporary resonance to timeless themes. These pieces are bold and thought-provoking, yet seamlessly integrated with the more classical compositions.
The illustrations by Daniel Schmelling deserve high praise. Ethereal and deeply emotive, they do more than accompany the text, they elevate it. Each image enriches the atmosphere, pulling the reader further into the dreamlike world Jackson constructs. The visual and verbal elements work in harmony, enhancing the immersive quality of the collection.
Jackson’s ability to evoke deep feeling with spare, lyrical lines is her greatest strength. When First I Saw My Baby Boy is heartrending in its simplicity a quiet elegy for a lost child. In contrast, Owl Ensconced on Oaken Branch offers quiet wisdom and gentle reflection. The final section, Soulscape, concludes the journey with wonder and serenity. Poems like Galaxies with Memories transform death into a cosmic return, a homecoming among the stars.
Death Kindly Stopped For Me: A Book of Poetry Inspired by Emily Dickinson is an essential reading for admirers of Dickinson, Poe, or Mary Oliver for anyone who cherishes introspective poetry that lingers long after the last line. Jackson doesn’t merely contemplate death she reimagines it. Her work invites us to walk with it, to find comfort in the mystery, and perhaps even, to dance.
Pages: 162 | ASIN : B0D1GL5J23
LITERARY TITAN 