Viewing the Body

Snodgrass, W.

Primary Category: Literature / Poetry

Genre: Poem

Annotated by:
Coulehan, Jack
  • Date of entry: Jul-11-1994

Summary

A big, splashy wake. The corpse is decked out in lipstick and fancy dress. In life, however, she "Was scarcely looked at, much less / Wanted or talked about . . . . " She lived her life unwanted and in isolation, but in death she achieves "a place of honor," in which everyone looks at her, at least until the casket closes and "the obscene red folds / of satin" embrace her.

Commentary

This is a brilliantly rhyming (a, b-a, b) 16 line poem about the truth and falsehood of the American way of death.

Primary Source

Remains

Publisher

BOA

Place Published

Brockport, N.Y.

Edition

1984