Stanza 1

In the introductory stanza of “The Afterlife,” the narrator embraces the audience with the word “you,” offering a poignant observation. As some prepare for the embrace of slumber, others are facing the end, embarking on an eternal voyage. This journey symbolizes the soul's ethereal adventure once it has left its earthly vessel. Drawing inspiration from diverse religious traditions, Collins explores the idea that the body is a temporary guardian of the soul, which is liberated beyond death.

Stanza 2

With the initial declaration, “They are moving off in all imaginable directions,” the speaker paves the way for a vivid exploration of the afterlife. Each path of this journey unfolds as the poem progresses. The silent figure of Lazarus, a character from the New Testament resurrected by Jesus, is evoked. Despite his miraculous return, Lazarus guards the mysteries of his experience, perhaps knowing that the afterlife's paths are as varied as the souls who travel them. The stanza culminates with the metaphorical “alcove in your head,” symbolizing the boundless realm of imagination, where perceptions and thoughts can weave fantastical tapestries.

Stanza 3

This stanza paints two prevalent visions of the experiences awaiting us immediately after death. First, it draws from those resurrected through medical marvels or sheer fate, often recounting encounters with a dazzling white light and passage through an ethereal tunnel. Second, a more Judeo-Christian imagery unfolds, illustrating a divine judge who weighs lives lived, granting entry to heaven via “a golden ladder” or condemning to hell through “a coal chute.”

Stanza 4

Here, the afterlife is tailored to individuals based on their own self-perceived worthiness. The opening lines portray the sanctimonious and self-righteous, convinced their lives of virtue — by Christian standards — assure them a just reward. Conversely, others, led by material desires, envision indulgence in “a big air-conditioned room full of food and chorus girls.” These are deemed “the less inventive” by the speaker, hinting at his own judgmental stance.

Stanza 5

This stanza delves into the stereotype of a feminist who imagines God as a woman, featuring a bespectacled, middle-aged woman peering through a peephole at the newly departed. With a touch of satire, Collins critiques the image of independent, intellectual women challenging conventional beliefs about divine gender.

Stanza 6

Referencing those who embrace reincarnation, like Hindus, this stanza explores the cycle of rebirth, or “samsara” in Sanskrit. This belief holds that the soul reincarnates, inhabiting new forms to resolve past deeds. Souls reborn as animals are depicted as starting life anew “in a more simple key,” echoing a musical metaphor that suggests the human condition is burdened by complex thoughts and imagination.

Stanza 7

This stanza ventures into New Age philosophies, conjuring abstract descriptions of what transpires at a subatomic level post-mortem. The language swirls with characteristic ambiguity, capturing the ethereal essence of this cosmic phenomenon.

Stanza 8

Stitching together various myths, this stanza weaves a tapestry of legendary tales. “Classicists” — devotees of ancient Greek and Roman lore — are invoked alongside mythical beings like unicorns. A three-headed guardian, Cerberus from Greek mythology, stands watch at the gates of the underworld, now whimsically owned by Edith Hamilton, an esteemed educator and historian, celebrated for her works The Greek Way and The Roman Way.

Stanza 9

In this final stanza, the speaker gathers those unmentioned in previous lines, whose visions of the afterlife are delightfully mundane — aspirations of visiting pyramids, mastering Italian, or merely relishing life once more. The poem circles back to its beginning, with the speaker addressing the living readers, distinct from those whose afterlife dreams have been explored throughout the poem.