Autopsy Report

This essay was so beautifully written that I could almost forget the gruesome topic. I must admit the subject matter still bothers me (or at least my stomach), but I think the author did a wonderful job giving beauty to something so often grotesque. I absolutely love the quote at the beginning: "I wish I understood the beauty in falling leaves. To whom are we beautiful as we go?" I imagine Purpura was as struck by this quote as I was and wanted to explore the potential for beauty in death. I would never have thought of the approach she took, nor do I think I would be capable of viewing an autopsy in the way that she did, but she turned death into poetry. The language she uses is almost reverent while describing these things, and it makes me want to see the beauty or potential for beauty in things that are often considered anything but.