Otherworldly Narrative Poems: Volume 7

This collection of narrative poems turns toward the otherworldly—not for spectacle, but because the otherworldly exposes the unstable core of what we call Humanity. In these pages, imagination becomes both instrument and adversary. It lifts us beyond the narrow limits of our physical form, yet it also reveals the fractures we prefer not to see. Through verse, these poems open doors into spaces where certainty dissolves and possibility expands. The beings you will encounter here are not bound by familiar categories. Some resemble us closely enough to unsettle. Others stand far outside anything recognisable. All of them function as mirrors: reflecting our frailty, our potential, and the illusions we cling to. They are not here to entertain. They are here to test the boundaries of what we believe ourselves to be. Across these poems you will meet shapeshifters, creatures, monsters, and entities that resist classification. They move through mythic, liminal, and Void-touched landscapes, each revealing a different facet of the human condition. Their presence raises a central question: What truly makes us Human? And if qualities such as empathy, fear, longing, or consciousness are not exclusive to our species, then what becomes of our assumed specialness? If we are Earthlings first and Humans second, then our role in the world must be reconsidered. We may need to act as Guardians rather than Parasites—participants in a shared existence rather than rulers of it. Underlying the entire work is the philosophy of Voidian Cosmology: the recognition that we know nothing in any absolute sense; that universals are illusions; that meaning is something we forge, not something we inherit. The Void is not an enemy. It is the canvas upon which the self is written. By acknowledging our limits and the vast indifference of the cosmos, we create the possibility of self-actualisation. These poems invite you to step into the spaces between certainty and doubt, form and formlessness, Self, and Shadow. They ask you to look directly into the Void—and to recognise the strange beauty that waits there. Safe journey. D. James ___________________________________________ Please note that the poems in this series vary significantly in length. To keep things fair for both the reader and I, some volumes contain more poems, while others contain fewer. When a poem is much longer or more complex, that volume will naturally include fewer pieces. This approach ensures that each book reflects the actual amount of work involved, rather than an arbitrary poem count. This structure will remain consistent until Volume 21, where each book will contain five narrative poems — each of them at least fifty stanzas long. As every volume is priced affordably, I hope readers will enjoy them for what they are and will not feel short-changed. Fairness, to me, means openness and honesty, which is why I want to make this clear in advance. My aim is simply to ensure that the effort and depth within each poem are reflected in the way each volume is assembled. I trust this will be both understood and appreciated.