Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "On Hearing the Testimony of Those Revived After Cardiac Arrest" explores the profound and often unsettling experiences of those who have come close to death and returned. The poem reflects on the imagery and emotions associated with near-death experiences, drawing on religious and literary allusions to examine the tension between belief and skepticism, and the allure of a "purer sleep."

The poem opens with a powerful and visceral image: "Wrenched back to life, / the door of death abruptly slammed in their faces." The phrase "wrenched back to life" suggests a forceful and unexpected return from the brink of death, as if the individuals were violently pulled away from a final, peaceful departure. The "door of death" being "slammed" in their faces conveys the suddenness and finality of this interruption, as if they were on the cusp of crossing into another realm, only to be forcefully brought back to the physical world. This jarring experience is something the speaker finds both fascinating and troubling.

The poem then delves into the common elements reported by those who have had near-death experiences: "each mentions light across that threshold / and someone once loved waiting." This light, often described as warm and welcoming, is a recurrent theme in such testimonies, as is the presence of a loved one who appears to be waiting just beyond the threshold. These images evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity, reinforcing the idea that death might not be an end but a passage into another state of being, one filled with light and reunion.

The speaker's thoughts then turn to William Blake's *Songs of Innocence*, invoking the imagery of God and his lambs on "a pediment of cloud," as well as "harps and incense." These references to Blake's idyllic, pastoral vision of divine innocence highlight the contrast between the comforting, almost utopian vision of the afterlife and the speaker's more skeptical view. The mention of "candles snuffed out by the cold thumb of reason" suggests that the speaker, at some point, chose to embrace a more rational, perhaps atheistic or agnostic perspective, in which religious and mystical beliefs were extinguished by logic and reason.

However, these "candles" are "rekindled now," indicating that the testimonies of those revived after cardiac arrest have reignited the speaker's contemplation of the afterlife. The light from these rekindled candles "light up pastures as rolling as these Maryland hills," blending the divine with the earthly. The speaker imagines their father "practicing surgery on an angel's wing," a metaphor that combines the scientific and the spiritual, suggesting that even in the afterlife, the skills and identities formed in life persist in some way. The "coin of metaphor spinning, coming up Fact" suggests that what was once seen as mere metaphor or fantasy may, in the light of these testimonies, take on a new reality—blurring the lines between what is imagined and what is real.

Despite this rekindling of contemplation, the speaker concludes by affirming a previous decision: "But long ago I chose a purer sleep: no lamb no tiger." This choice reflects a rejection of the comforting but perhaps simplistic dualities represented by Blake's lamb and tiger—symbols of innocence and experience, respectively. The "purer sleep" implies a desire for an existence free from the complications of belief, myth, or the anxiety of an afterlife. It suggests a preference for the simplicity of non-existence, an eternal rest untroubled by the metaphysical concerns that others might find comforting.

"On Hearing the Testimony of Those Revived After Cardiac Arrest" is a meditation on the intersection of life, death, belief, and skepticism. Pastan's use of religious and literary imagery, combined with the personal reflections of the speaker, creates a layered exploration of how individuals grapple with the concept of an afterlife. The poem acknowledges the powerful allure of the light-filled, welcoming visions described by those who have brushed against death, while also affirming a personal choice to embrace a more straightforward, unembellished view of what comes after life—a "purer sleep" devoid of the mythic or the divine. Through this, Pastan offers a nuanced perspective on the human experience of contemplating mortality, the unknown, and the deeply personal nature of belief.

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