Insomnia

“One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop (1976)

One of the most famous villanelles of the 20th century, this is the quintessential Bishop poem. “One Art” focuses on the art of losing things, especially people. The poem is an expression of all the losses Bishop faced throughout her life. Bishop makes symbolic references to the losses of her parents, lovers, memories, and places. The poem expresses the grief that loss creates in a person, though Bishop takes solace in the fact that loss is something to master, thus making it a skill to be learned and practiced.

“In the Waiting Room” by Elizabeth Bishop (1971)

In this surreal, Modernist, Confessional poem, Bishop recalls a childhood event when she had somewhat of a spiritual awakening. The poem finds young Elizabeth in the waiting room of a dental office while her aunt gets treatment. She reads a National Geographic magazine, hears her aunt scream, and falls into a nightmarish moment of transcendence where she imagines herself as her aunt and as an adult. The poem is a good example of Bishop skirting the line between Modernism, Confessionalism, and her own unique style. It also explores ideas of sexual awakening, connection, and loss.