Pointing to the Place of the Pain

Fiser, Karen

Primary Category: Literature / Poetry

Genre: Poem

Annotated by:
Aull, Felice
  • Date of entry: Feb-28-1995
  • Last revised: Jan-14-2010

Summary

The poet considers pain as a place she inhabits, from which she could (hope to) escape, " . . . returned magically to life . . . ." But it is inescapable, "like your softest skin . . . a room no one else can come into . . . . " Finally, it is "only feeling" that defines this place, a place of silence, suffering, and separateness.

Commentary

The poet is disabled with painful osteoarthritis. In this poem she explores pain as a state of being. A number of other poems in this collection reflect on her experience. Across the Border (see this database) emphasizes the sense of exile and The Short Song of What Befalls (see this database) considers the role of chance and accident in bringing about misfortune.

Primary Source

Words Like Fate and Pain

Publisher

Zoland

Place Published

Cambridge, Mass.

Edition

1992