Death, Contagion, & Unnatural Sleep – Pierian Springs Press

Of Death, Contagion, & Unnatural Sleep

Podcast: Conversation on the collection

n this stunning and utterly original debut collection of poems, Tyler Deaton bestows back on us our own everyday world, but transformed through the lens of literary history, acid wit, sticky slapstick situations, elegant dazzling diction, and fabulous fabulae for indeed, as Mr. Deaton says, “We lollygag in the Apocalypse’s lobby.”

Of Death, Contagion, and Unnatural Sleep by Tyler Deaton is a hauntingly beautiful collection of poetry that plunges readers into the dark undercurrents of mortality, decay, and the disquieting anxieties of modern existence. Through an intricate tapestry of narrative fragments, surreal imagery, and philosophical musings, Deaton crafts an unforgettable exploration of life’s fragility and the mysteries that linger in its shadows.

The collection’s standout feature is its extended poems, divided into numbered sections that echo the fragmented, dreamlike rhythm of memory and loss. Venetian landscapes shimmer with an eerie allure, shadows take on lives of their own, and familial bonds are both anchors and specters in a world slipping through the fingers of time. Recurring motifs of shadow and light blur the boundaries between reality and illusion, pulling readers into a labyrinth of reflection and revelation.

Deaton’s masterful use of diverse forms and styles imbues each poem with a sense of urgency and transcendence, making Of Death, Contagion, and Unnatural Sleep a spellbinding meditation on the human condition. Bold, evocative, and deeply resonant, this collection invites readers to confront their own fears and desires while wandering through its dreamlike, mesmerizing landscapes.

And what better pastime to employ, when the death of contagion is everywhere and sleep unnatural, but to make a toy out of the very idea of existence, to get drunk on the vibrancy of life itself, lived close-up?