Blog entry: 3

The poem “Death, My Friend” is written by Mark R Slaughter, a biological scientist who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom in 1957. He initially started writing just to challenge his writing skills, but now he has written hundreds of poems which are liked by so many people on the internet. This poem was published in 2009. He is currently lived by his wife and two kids. One very interesting thing about Mark r slaughter is there are so many good poems written by him, yet very little information about himself. I spent quite a lot of time on internet to get more information about him, but I failed. I chose this poem because I found the title “Death, My friend” pretty strange. As we all know, most of the people tend not to be friend with death in real life. So I wanted to see if the author indeed wanted to be friend with death, or is he just trying to be funny? And the first line goes like this:” Death, my friend-so good to see you!” This line definitely caught my attention, because it’s written very simple yet very unique, and he goes against all these cultural belief that death is a scary thing and we should not make fun about death.

                Death, My Friend

Death, my friend - so good to see you!

Stand aloft and view my soul!
I have to say you’re looking frightful -
Bony chum, you affable ghoul.

Death, my friend, so charmed I’m sure!

State your case and tell me straight -
Am I worthy of reward, so
Venture I to Heaven’s Gate?


Death, my friend, a new acquaintance!
You're always welcome in my home -
Though the stare from empty sockets
Indicates to Hell we roam!


Death, my friend - my bosom buddy.
My! your finger points at me!
Be you tired of my frivolity?
Aha, I see - Oblivion, we!

  Aloft: 1. In or into a high place; high or higher up.

              2. Nautical At or toward the upper rigging.

 Bony: 1. resembling or consisting of bone or bones

             2. having many bones

            3. thin or emaciated , boniness

Chum: 1. To be an intimate friend.
              2. To display good-natured friendliness
              3. To share the same room, as in a dormitory.

Affable: 1. Easy and pleasant to speak to; approachable.
                2. Gentle and gracious

ghoul: 1. One who delights in the revolting, morbid, or loathsome.
          2. A grave robber.
          3. An evil spirit or demon in Muslim folklore believed to plunder graves and feed on corpses.

  Venture: 1. An undertaking that is dangerous, daring, or of uncertain outcome.
                   2. A business enterprise involving some risk in expectation of gain.

Acquaintance: 1. a. Knowledge of a person acquired by a relationship less intimate than friendship.
                              2. A person whom one knows.

Stare: 1. To look directly and fixedly, often with a wide-eyed gaze. See Synonyms at gaze.
            2. To be conspicuous; stand out.
            3. To stand on end; bristle, as hair or feathers

Sockets: 1. An opening or a cavity into which an inserted part is designed to fit: a light-bulb socket.
                2. Anatomy
                     a. The concave part of a joint that receives the end of a bone.
                      b. A hollow or concavity into which a part, such as the eye, fits.

Bosom: 1. a. The chest of a human
                    b. A woman's breast or breasts.
                2. The part of a garment covering the chest or breasts.
                3. The security and closeness likened to being held in a warm familial embrace
                4. The chest considered as the source of emotion.
                      adj. Beloved; intimate

Frivolity: 1. the trait of being frivolous; not serious or sensible                                    
                 2. something of little value or significance                            
                 3. acting like a clown or buffoon

Oblivion:1. the condition of being forgotten or disregarded
                 2. the state of being mentally withdrawn or blank
                 3. (Law) Law an intentional overlooking, esp of political offences; amnesty; pardon

I think the author is speaking to death as if death is standing right next to him, by personifying death. He starts the first stanza by saying, “Death, my friend-so good to see you!” but the question here is: does he really feel that way? I don’t think so, because he knows that Death is waiting for him to die. This is why he said on the second line, “stand aloft and view my soul!” He feels like Death is looking from up there for his soul to depart. I think the author is also trying to be nice with Death, because he said: “I have to say you’re looking frightful,” instead of just screaming:” You are looking frightful!” And he is not being that serious with Death, because he teases him by saying: “Bony chum, you affable ghoul”, which describes the physical appearance and the ultimate motive of Death, respectively. On the second and the third stanza, he is still not being serious with Death. He asks Death if has a chance to go to heaven, and then he assumes he may go to hell, by looking at those scary eyes of Death. I think here the author is trying to make the point that we don’t know whether we go to heaven or hell. He is also trying to make the point that we will die if time comes, whether we hated Death or not. This is why he said to Death, "you are always welcome to my home," and he tells Death to let him know if his time has come or not. As we know, in many culture death is a taboo subject, and we try not to make fun of death as if that helps us to live long. I think the author is trying to tell people that death isn’t as scary as we think. On the last stanza, the author accepts that he is not being serious with death, at the same time he is confused whether he is the one who wanted to die or Death wanted him to die, or both of them. He thinks Death must be tired of his frivolous behavior, but then he realizes he himself is indeed tired of is behavior as well. This is why the poet at the end corrects himself by saying:” Aha, I see- Oblivion, we!”