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SevenPonds / Poetry Looking at Loss / Death From Tragedy or Violence Poems

Death From Tragedy or Violence Poems

When death comes suddenly through accident, crime, or disaster, words often fail us. These powerful poems address the unique trauma of unexpected loss and the profound journey ahead.

“Torch”

By Catherine Broadwall

In “Torch,” poet Catherine Broadwall explores the fire-related loss that increasingly ravages North America. Broadwall’s…

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"I Do Not Believe"

By Elyas Alavi

Elyas Alavi fled Afghanistan as a child during the Soviet occupation, spending several years in Iran and eventually sett…

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"The Wound-Dresser"

By Walt Whitman

In 1862 Walt Whitman found his younger brother George’s name listed among the wounded in the New York Tribune’s account …

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"Tattered Kaddish"

By Adrienne Rich

For seven decades, Adrienne Rich wrote and published stunning poetry and prose that touched her readers, made them think…

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"Undertaker"

By Patricia Smith

Like bards long ago, the poet Patricia Smith is often inspired by the news of the day. Often it’s unwelcome news that ta…

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"Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field One Night"

By Walt Whitman

Memorial Day has its roots in the American Civil War. Both the North and South wanted to set aside days to honor their d…

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"In Flanders Fields"

By John McCrae

“In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae was inspired by World War I, which was known sadly and incorrectly as the war to end…

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"The Charge of the Light Brigade"

By Alfred, Lord Tennyson

When people seek poems about soldiers valiantly facing death, they often turn to “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Al…

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"Like Father Like Son"

By Douglas Mcguire

The poem I chose today, “Like Father Like Son” pays tribute to Memorial Day in the United States. It is the day when Ame…

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"To An Athlete Dying Young"

By A.E. Housman

Alfred Edward Housman’s poem “To an Athlete Dying Young” was published in 1896. Housman was a professor of Latin at the …

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“Peace”

By Langston Hughes

War and its consequences wreak havoc on countless lives with its numerous casualties — whether they are civilian member…

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“But You Didn’t”

By Merrill Glass

The death of a lover is difficult regardless of whether it is expected, as is the case with long-term illnesses, or if i…

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“The Drowned Brother”

By Brendan Constantine

“The Drowned Brother” is a eulogy-like poem that explores the revelation of the death of a brother in Brendan Constantin…

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“Mid-Term Break”

By Seamus Heaney

Seamus Heaney was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995 for his poetry, and it is no wonder why; his works have …

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“Conscientious Objector”

By Edna St. Vincent Millay

As its title suggests, Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “Conscientious Objector” contains heavy anti-war tones; but it can also…

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