Finding Poetry in Unexpected Places: Exploring the Elegy

For centuries, poetry has served as a powerful tool to express the human experience. From the epic poems of Homer to the modern verse of Ocean Vuong, poets have used language to explore love, loss, joy, and sorrow.

Recently, there's been a surge in popularity for a specific kind of poetry that speaks directly to our modern anxieties and uncertainties: the elegy.

The elegy, traditionally a mournful poem lamenting a death, is taking on new meanings. While it still can honor the lost, contemporary elegies often grapple with broader themes like mortality, societal change, and the loss of innocence.

Why this renewed focus?

Perhaps it’s the uncertain times we live in, filled with both personal and global losses. Maybe it’s a yearning for connection, a way to process grief in a shared experience. Whatever the reason, elegies offer a space for introspection and collective mourning.

If you’re interested in exploring this trend, here are some poets and collections worth checking out:

• Ocean Vuong’s "Night Sky With Exit Wounds": This collection combines elegy, love poetry, and dazzling imagery to explore themes of trauma, queerness, and displacement.

• Victoria Chang's "Obit": A powerful and poignant exploration of grief, memory, and family through a series of elegiac vignettes about the deceased.

• Danez Smith’s "Don’t Call Us Dead": This collection, a vibrant blend of protest and personal reflection, uses the elegy to celebrate Black queer lives and lament the systemic violence they face.

The beauty of poetry lies in its ability to resonate deeply with readers on a personal level. Elegies, with their capacity for both sorrow and hope, offer a unique and timely lens through which we can navigate our own experiences of loss and transformation.

So grab a copy of one of these collections, find a quiet spot, and allow yourself to be moved by the power of the elegy. You might be surprised by what you discover within its depths.