Examination at the Womb-door
Who owns those scrawny little feet? Death. Who owns this bristly scorched-looking face? Death. Who owns these still-working lungs? Death. Who owns this utility coat of muscles? Death. Who owns these unspeakable guts? Death. Who owns these questionable brains? Death. All this messy blood? Death. These minimum-efficiency eyes? Death. This wicked little tongue? Death. This occasional wakefulness? Death. Given, stolen, or held pending trial? Held. Who owns the whole rainy, stony earth? Death. Who owns all of space? Death. Who is stronger than hope? Death. Who is stronger than the will? Death. Stronger than love? Death. Stronger than life? Death. But who is stronger than Death? Me, evidently. Pass, Crow.
Examination at the Womb-door - meaning Summary
Defiance at Death's Threshold
The poem stages an examination in which the speaker repeatedly attributes the body, the earth, and even space to Death. Its grim logic presents life as something temporarily held rather than securely possessed. The final exchange reverses that verdict: Crow claims to be stronger than Death and is allowed to pass. The ending is both comic and defiant, making survival seem a bare, self-asserting victory.
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