Over the past two weeks in ASTU we have been examining poetry that surrounds trauma. We read poetry from a number of different authors. For example we read a poem written by an inmate at Guantanamo Bay and some other poems that are based on the 9/11 attacks and one that was written about the Dresden bombings but has been used to portray the emotions of people in New York at the time after the attacks. These poems convey a deeper meaning in how the author deals with the trauma that they are facing and the event that caused these emotions to surface. The reader (who often times in the case after the 9/11 attacks) will identify strongly with how the author has portrayed trauma and through poetry will create a connection to the reader. Poetry however is not the only medium that does this, music has also had massive contributions in this area. Music arguably reaches more people as the medium as a whole has so many different forms and such a large audience and dealing with trauma and the struggle that this brings with it can be brought across to a massive audience that spans the globe. Both poetry and Music are important mediums when it comes to portraying trauma to an audience whether it be large or small however how this message is brought across is different.

The Spahr’s poetry that we have read over the past two weeks is different to any other form of poetry that I have read or written. The portrayal of trauma throughout in contrast to the comfort and safety that we (people who do not experience trauma on a daily basis) feel with the constant mention of the “bed” is something that moved me as it made me come to the realization that no matter how bad things get around the world there is always a personal refuge that one can find. This does not only count for people in the “Global North” but for people everywhere, even in a war zone there is going to be a time and a place where as an individual one can find peace in a moment. The readings of Spahr and how she portrays trauma through her poetry have helped me come to this realization as it has made me think about situations where people are experiencing traumatic events of any kind all over the world and how we all have a place where we feel as if we can escape it all.

Music is another form of portraying and dealing with trauma that is in the case of lyrical based music often times very similar to poetry. The lyrics of a song such as “I don’t like mondays” by the Boomtown Rats are based on the Cleveland elementary school shooting that happened on January 29th 1979. The shooter (Brenda Spencer) when asked why she did this responded with “I don’t like Mondays”. The trauma of this event lives on through the song and its lyrics, this form of portraying the trauma that is experienced in the event of a school shooting I personally find is a reminder to everyone that events such as this happen more frequently than we think and are often times not logically explained, however we may never forget what happened and it is through music that this specific case lives on. However school shootings are not the only trauma that exists in the music world. In fact the range of trauma that is being sung about and expressed through music is so vast that it would take too long to list. For example, many songs are written about breakups and heartache and the trauma that is experienced with going through this process. Sinead o’Connor’s famous song “Nothing Compares to You” is one example of such a song, the lyrics of these songs are relatable because many people in their lifetime go through one or more such traumatic events and can find refuge in music giving them the feeling that they are not alone in what they are going through.

In conclusion, after reading Spahr’s poetry I feel as if I have come to a better understanding of how trauma is portrayed in poetry and the deeper meaning of the message that it conveys. Also when looking at music and its wide range in dealing and portraying trauma connects with the audience on a more direct level. I believe that this is the case because (at least for me) it is a more personal experience when listening to music live or on a device.