Don't Be Caught Dead
Welcome to Don’t Be Caught Dead - a podcast encouraging open conversations about dying and the death of a loved one. I’m your host, Catherine Ashton - Founder of Critical Info - and I’m helping to bring your stories of death back to life.
Because while you may not be ready to die, at least you can be prepared.
Don't Be Caught Dead
Orpheus and the Art of Grief: A Poet's Perspective
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Have you ever wondered how poetry can help us face grief and mortality? In this episode of Don't Be Caught Dead, poet, philosopher and scholar Luke Fischer shares how poetry allows us to sit with loss and navigate life’s deepest challenges.
Luke talks about his personal journey, the influence of philosophy on his work, and how themes of nature, death and extinction shape his writing. His exploration of the Orpheus myth is particularly moving, showing how ancient stories continue to help us process grief.
Whether you're a poetry lover or new to it, this conversation will inspire reflection on death, creativity, and language.
Key highlights:
● The role of poetry in grief
● Luke's personal and creative journey
● The Orpheus myth and mortality
● How poetry keeps language alive
● Tips for expressing grief creatively
Learn more about Luke:
Profile Link
Discover the Orpheus and Eurydice myth:
A great place to start is Metamorphoses by Ovid — particularly Books X and XI. Read Book X online:
Metamorphoses (Book X) – Ovid
List of all the works mentioned by Luke Fischer during the episode:
- A Gamble for My Daughter (poetry collection)
- A Personal History of Vision (poetry collection)
- Paths of Flight (poetry collection)
- The Blue Forest (children's book)
- The Poet as a Phenomenologist: Rilke and the New Poems (monograph)
- Rilke's Sonnets to Orpheus: Philosophical and Critical Perspectives(co-edited volume of essays)
- Goethe Yearbook (co-edited special section on Goethe and Environmentalism)
- Beyond Existentialism: The Orphic Unity of Life and Dea
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Contact Catherine
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Podcast Editor: https://www.livvimusic.com/
Music composer: Ania Reynolds - https://www.aniareynolds.com/