Dead Stars

A central message of “Dead Stars” is that humans can create a healthier world than the current one of 2021. To craft this message, Limón opens the poem with images of a cold and dead landscape. Winter’s harsh hand touches everything, and the trees are black and with yellow leaves. The tone is dramatic, and the imagery is stark, showing the present to be harsh and unforgiving. By the fifth stanza, the poem doesn’t only portray the natural world in a state of disrepair, but people, too: They’re disconnected from their history with the universe; they’ve forgotten the names and stories of so many constellations. To build a message of hope, Limón first constructs a world that needs to be fixed, using the first half of “Dead Stars” to depict nature and people in disjointed states.

The second half of the poem quickens in pace and proposes questions to the reader, culminating in a vision of a hopeful and beautiful future. Despite the current terrified state, the speaker reminds the reader that humans have survived for so long, and can continue to improve how to survive and love each other.  Limón asks the reader to envision utilizing resilience and strength to protect the natural world and to create a safer world for people, too.