Hello and welcome. My name is Anna Wilde and I’m a part-time PhD student at the University of Birmingham, researching the Death Positivity Movement (DPM). I have a Masters degree in Death, Religion and Culture from the University of Winchester.
My road to academic study has been delayed until I’m rather more mature than the average mature post-grad student đ but I’m enjoying juggling my research, my jobs and my attempts at fitting my life in between.
I’m studying death positivity, a term which means different things to different people – you can read more about my understanding of it here. My research examines how the DPM is influencing the way we discuss death and prepare for death and dying, and looks at whether it is an example of Implicit Religion (Bailey, 1997). The purpose of this blog is to explore some ideas and to document some of what I’m spending my time on.
I also to share some of my vast selection of poems about death, dying and bereavement. One of my favourites is below.
Sono’s Death Poem
Donât just stand there with your hair turning gray,
Soon enough the seas will sink your little island
So while there is still the illusion of time,
Set out for another shore.
No sense packing a bag.
You wonât be able to lift it into your boat.
Give away all your collections.
Take only new seeds and an old stick.
Send out some prayers on the wind before you sail.
Donât be afraid.
Someone knows youâre coming.
An extra fish has been salted.