Frank O'Hara's The Day Lady Died

In his poem, "The Day Lady Died", Frank O'Hara refrains from using all the conventional patterns of elegiac poetry. Instead of the common reflection of grief, utilizing tragic laments and a recount of greatness now gone, O'Hara's seemingly ordinary poem very subtly evokes a sense of loss. At first, O'Hara's poem appears to be the account of a very typical day. His classic "I do this and I do that" style, accompanied by the simplistic …

…O'Hara, with his keen fascination with all things distinctly American, deeply. O'Hara consorted with all the poets, dramatists, and artists of the time. His friend, Kenneth Koch, organized nights of jazz and poetry readings at locals clubs. At one of these soirees, Mal Waldron, the well-known black pianist, accompanied Koch as he read his poems. Holiday dropped by to see Waldron, her close friend and favorite musician, and was persuaded to sing a few songs.