According to Merriam-Webster, loss is the fact or process of losing something or someone (cite 1). Bishop and Hughes experienced many traumas in their childhood. Bishop had parental issues and Hughes lived during a time of inequality. The poems One Art by Elizabeth Bishop and Harlem by Langston Hughes are both concerned with the theme of loss. This essay will be discussing the lives of each poet, how each poet dealt with this theme, and what techniques each poet used. Elizabeth Bishop was born on February 8, 1911 in Worcester, Massachusetts to father, William T. Bishop and mother, Gertrude May Boomer (cite 2). On October 13, 1911, when Elizabeth Bishop was eight months old, her father died of Bright’s disease (cite 2). Due to her father’s death, Gertrude May Boomer became
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The loss of her parents can be seen in Bishop’s poem One Art.
Elizabeth Bishop doesn’t address loss right away. She leaves it in the back of her mind and tell herself that it’s fine to lose a couple things. Throughout the poem, the reader can see that the writer is in denial. These losses, either significant or not, are still losses and one should reflect upon the losses he/she has experienced. The poem begins with the line: “the art of losing isn’t hard to master.” The first stanza claims that the things we lose are meant to be lost and when this thing is lost, its loss is not a big deal. The second stanza suggests that by losing little things everyday like door keys and wasted time, we will get used to it thus mastering the art of losing. This idea of being fine with little losses can help the writer handle bigger losses in the future. As the reader moves through the poem, the
The loss of her parents can be seen in Bishop’s poem One Art.
Elizabeth Bishop doesn’t address loss right away. She leaves it in the back of her mind and tell herself that it’s fine to lose a couple things. Throughout the poem, the reader can see that the writer is in denial. These losses, either significant or not, are still losses and one should reflect upon the losses he/she has experienced. The poem begins with the line: “the art of losing isn’t hard to master.” The first stanza claims that the things we lose are meant to be lost and when this thing is lost, its loss is not a big deal. The second stanza suggests that by losing little things everyday like door keys and wasted time, we will get used to it thus mastering the art of losing. This idea of being fine with little losses can help the writer handle bigger losses in the future. As the reader moves through the poem, the