Society & Culture / Literary Studies & Writing / Poetry & Drama Studies

At the Edges of Sleep: The Brutal War Behind Motherhood

Poetry at the Edges of Difference

Renée Poepke

Think motherhood is a peaceful sanctuary of gentle lullabies and domestic bliss? That comforting myth falls apart the moment you step outside the privileged core of the Western world. Real motherhood has always been humanity's toughest frontline. Slide by slide, this presentation dismantles the passive, sanitized stereotypes imposed on mothers across centuries. Drawing from marginalized poets in India, the Caribbean, and Africa, it reveals how bedtime stories disguise deadly street violence, how religious institutions silence the very women they claim to revere, and how mothers transform raw grief into political rebellion against militarized states. Discover why nurturing is not a biological cage, but a calculated tactical genius akin to commanding a war zone. Featured in this deep dive is the visionary work of literary scholar Renée Poepke in Poetry at the Edges of Difference, a compelling study that brings together radical anti-colonial voices to prove that motherhood is an active verb, an uncompromising weapon of survival, and a universal human defense against state violence. Step beyond the soft-focus illusions of family life and uncover the fierce resilience of those holding the world together under siege.