Episode Details

Back to Episodes

Orpheus and the Art of Grief: A Poet's Perspective

Season 2 Episode 57 Published 1 year, 6 months ago
Description

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:

  1. A Gamble for My Daughter (poetry collection)
  2. A Personal History of Vision (poetry collection)
  3. Paths of Flight (poetry collection)
  4. The Blue Forest (children's book)
  5. The Poet as a Phenomenologist: Rilke and the New Poems (monograph)
  6. Rilke's Sonnets to Orpheus: Philosophical and Critical Perspectives(co-edited volume of essays)
  7. Goethe Yearbook (co-edited special section on Goethe and Environmentalism)
  8. Beyond Existentialism: The Orphic Unity of Life and Death (essay included in Rilke's Sonnets to Orpheus)

If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and help normalise conversations about death.

You may not be ready to die, but at least you can be prepared.

Take care,
Catherine

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-)

MY LOVED ONE HAS DIED, WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Our guide, ‘My Loved One Has Died, What Do I Do Now?’ provides practical steps for the hours and days after a loved one's death. Download it here.

SUPPORT SERVICES
If you're feeling overwhelmed by grief, find support through our resources and bereavement services here.

The free 3-minute Critical Info Check helps you see what you’ve already got covered — and what your next step could be.

Three minutes. One next step.

Go to gettingstarted.criticalinfo.com.au

Every Tuesday at 7pm, I host Critical Chat Tuesdays —
free, online conversations where you can ask questions or just listen.

No pressure.
 No expectation.

Because this isn’t about planning for “someday” —
 it’s about being ready for whatever life throws your way.

Join anytime at criticalinfo.com.au/events