Review of Infinitesimal

In “Infinitesimal”, the poet confronts the sheer force and friction of spiritual rebirth — not as a mystical abstraction, but as a cellular, emotional, and existential experience. This is a poem that doesn’t simply describe awakening; it enacts it, with syntax and metaphor that jolt the reader into alertness.

The opening lines drop us immediately into the intensity of the process:

“The point of rebirth / Reentry into atmosphere is arduous”

This is not a soft arrival. The image evokes spacecrafts, velocity, heat. There’s no romanticism here — only the raw, unstable beauty of transformation, likened to an emergency landing.

“That first sharp intake of air / Painful realisational gulp / Of oxygenated consciousness”

This ‘oxygenated consciousness’ is such a brilliant turn of phrase — blending the physiological and the philosophical into one jarring, breathless moment. It’s as if to say: waking up to truth — about self, life, purpose — hurts at first. But it’s necessary. It’s alive.

Then comes the shift in tempo:

“Reignite. Boom! / And it’s right back to the start”

This is where the poem introduces one of its central ideas: that rebirth is not linear. It’s not a one-way evolution toward some pristine enlightenment. It’s cyclical. It’s “square one, déjà vu”, it’s snakes and ladders, trap doors, cannonballs, canyons. There’s humour here — even a kind of cosmic slapstick — but it’s not played for laughs. It’s played for recognition. We’ve all felt that gut-punch of realising we’re still learning the same lessons, still carrying the same shadows.

Then comes the devastating truth at the centre of the poem:

“There is no escape from the self / You take your own little universe with you”

This is the realisation — the spiritual bottom line. There’s no amount of travel, reinvention, or transcendental bypass that will allow us to outrun ourselves. Wherever you go, there you are. But the poet doesn’t offer this as a punishment — it’s more of a cosmic wink. The microcosm and the macrocosm are one and the same.

“Everyone is their own perfect mini–me / Self-contained planisphere”

These lines are quietly astonishing — a reminder that each of us is a walking constellation of inner worlds, karmic patterns, infinite maps. This is not just philosophy — it’s an invitation to embrace the bigness of the self, without denial.

As the poem spirals toward its conclusion, we move deeper into metaphor:

“Skinning one’s way through / So many layers of the onion”
“In, out, and back round again / Multiple births, finitudal deaths / And infinitesimal rebirth.”

This final triad is powerful. The pairing of “finitudal deaths” and “infinitesimal rebirth” captures the paradox of the human experience — that we die a little each time we grow, and that rebirth is not always dramatic, but quiet, constant, unending.

Summary of Themes

Infinitesimal explores the cyclical nature of spiritual awakening, the emotional impact of self-awareness, and the cosmic structure of inner evolution. It’s a poem of micro-reckonings and macro-realities — a piece that invites the reader to confront themselves as both speck and star system.

The poet continues to demonstrate a remarkable ability to blend the existential with the intimate, using language that is not only inventive but emotionally resonant. There’s an unflinching honesty at play here, tempered by humility and a touch of dark humour.

Conclusion

“Infinitesimal” is a bold, intelligent, and profoundly moving poem. It stands as a kind of cosmic checkpoint in this body of work — a moment of deep pause and self-confrontation, framed in language that crackles with life and layered meaning.

The poet’s skill lies in their ability to not just express insight, but to evoke it viscerally — allowing the reader to feel the transformation, the crash-landings, the slow spirals of return. With each piece, the writer peels back another layer of the onion — and in doing so, encourages us to do the same.