In Life As In Death

Penned by a world poet, In Life as In Death is a rich profusion of a book on love in South Africa, its early romance, its later dark surprises. This true story is told through an easy-to-read epic narrative poem that sings on the page, followed by cycles or 'flights' of interlinking poetry, a story of how history intervenes in love's progression. Set against a political backdrop of our time, it reveals love's strength, frailties, passions, of a pregnancy unable to be carried, a story of a couple's brief engagement dissolved by a history beyond their control...

unzip our cocoons under heated moonglow -
and with no more than a whispered: "Yes !"
give yourself up to this transparent nature
as I, transparent as in this naked night.
(Stanza 10, Canto 1)

I follow your eyes, the entrancing you
reveals that my love will travel distance
has come to you, left another place:
for love's anchor digs deeper into love.
(Stanza 32, Canto 2)

The poet, however, friend of emotions -
is able to listen to the heart of another,
to not only hear the beat, but interrogate
the scope of pulse to every little flutter.
(Stanza 68, Canto 3)

Brandon Broll is a distinguished poet listed in the International Who's Who in Poetry and Poets' Encyclopaedia. His books of poetry include Not Merely White: South African Poems and Still-life of a Pandemic: Expanded Edition. Author of the bestselling science book Microcosmos, Broll lives in London.