"You died in the fall,
amongst the other dying things.
Your husky ran into the street two weeks later.
I'm not sure I know how to live without you yet
either."

In her debut poetry collection, E. A. Smyth captures the beauty of the mundane. Broken into four sections, On A Day Far from Death focuses on capturing the breadth of human experience: the magic of childhood (Unfolding); the moments that haunt us (Remaining); the bitter sweetness of nostalgia (Reliving), and the uncertainty that comes with aging and death (Fading).

Smyth writes chiefly about her childhood memories, overheard conversations, and her experiences as a young person serving as a caregiver for the elderly. On A Day Far from Death is as much a celebration of life as it is a reminder that each moment is precious and, arguably, worthy of documentation.