Apostrophe poem

An apostrophe poem is a type of poetry where the speaker addresses someone or something absent, abstract, or unable to respond—like a deceased loved one, an inanimate object, or an abstract concept. This figure of speech conveys strong emotions, such as longing or contemplation, and often involves personification of the subject being addressed. The poem typically starts with an invocation or exclamation like “O,” focusing on the subject. The following poem, “My Father’s Ash in this Trinket Heart” is a poignant example of apostrophe, as the speaker directly addresses their deceased father, using the trinket of ash as a metaphor for him as a whole. The speaker’s questions reflect a deep yearning for connection and understanding, highlighting the emotional impact of the father’s absence. The address to the father, despite being physically gone, creates an intimate, emotional dialogue.

My Father’s Ash inTrinket Heart

O Father—as ash, sealed in this trinket.
You hang from my neck, bound in quiet steel.
Must I speak to you now, a heart of dust,
When once you held me in your living arms?
You sit silent inside this chain’s cold clasp,
A ghost cradled in metal, heavy breath.
What can you tell me from within these walls?
Do you remember me as—weight of days?
I speak to this ash yet gone you’ve become,
Still, your laughter echoes far from the grave.
Are you the man remembered, or faded—
like smoke into the sky, unseen but here?
Tell me, Father, how do I keep this heart?
Were you ever close, or are you still lost?
As I hold this trinket, you rest in hand,
But you, your voice—still I never knew you.
Now you’re scattered, somewhere beyond my grasp.