Poetry can be both accessible and deep: Navigating grief and joy with poet Natalie Lim
- Sheelagh Caygill
- Oct 16
- 6 min read
Emotionally resonant and thematically ambitions: Natalie Lim's work is a study in how poetry can be both accessible and deep.
In our podcast episode 'From the heart to Mars: A cosmic dive into grief and joy in poetry', poet Kim Mannix talked with poet Natalie Lim about her debut collection, Elegy for Opportunity. Their
conversation offers a rare, in-depth look at the creative process behind a poetry collection that is as emotionally resonant as it is thematically ambitious. Natalie's work, which weaves together personal vulnerability, cosmic scale, and pressing social questions, provides a masterclass in how poetry can be both accessible and deep.
A master class in how poetry can be both accessible and deep
If you are a poet, a creative writer, or a reader seeking deeper engagement with contemporary poetry, this post distills the main themes and actionable insights from the episode.
I break down Natalie's approach to writing, structuring, and sharing poetry. She offers expert advice and nuanced recommendations for anyone looking to create or appreciate meaningful literary work.
1. Rooting poetry in personal and universal grief
The power of the elegy in poetry
At the heart of Elegy for Opportunity is the elegy—a poetic form traditionally used to mourn and honor loss. Natalie's collection began with elegies for the Mars rover Opportunity (“Oppy”), but quickly expanded to explore broader questions:
What do we choose to grieve?
How do we find meaning in a world facing crisis?
What sustains us amid despair?
What poets can learn:
Start with a specific loss (or event): Like Natalie did, begin with a concrete subject (a person, object, or even a robot) and let your grief expand outward to touch on larger themes.
Interweave grief and joy: Don’t be afraid to juxtapose sorrow with moments of love, humor, or everyday beauty. This contrast creates emotional depth and authenticity.
Ask big questions: Use your poetry as a springboard to interrogate societal values, environmental concerns, or collective anxieties.
Insights: Natalie's willingness to express not just sadness but also frustration and anger toward her subject (the rover) demonstrates that elegies can—and should—embrace the full spectrum of human emotion. Vulnerability, even when it feels uncomfortable, is essential for genuine connection.
2. Balancing vulnerability and care in personal writing
Navigating the risks of intimacy in creative writing
Natalie's poetry is personal, and deeply so, often referencing real people and intimate experiences. She acknowledges the risks of vulnerability but sees it as a necessary part of her craft.
What poet's can learn:
Obtain consent: If your poems reference real individuals, ensure they are aware and comfortable with their inclusion.
Embrace discomfort: Recognize that sharing personal material may feel risky, but this honesty is what allows readers to connect with your work.
Use love as a foundation: Whether writing about people, places, or even machines, let love—broadly defined—be the driving force behind your poems.
Insight: Natalie's approach shows that vulnerability is not just about self-exposure; it’s about building trust with your readers. By considering the impact of her words on others, Natalie reveals an ethical and empathetic creative practice.
3. Crafting a cohesive collection: The art of structure
Building a poem's narrative flow
One of the features of Elegy for Opportunity is its album-like cohesion. Natalie likens the process of arranging her poems to curating a musical soundtrack, where each piece advances the emotional journey.
What poet's can learn
Use visual tools: Natalie used a virtual Kanban board to experiment with poem order, moving pieces around to find the best flow.
Balance pacing and theme: Alternate between heavy and lighter poems to give readers space to process and reflect.
Work with editors: Seek feedback from trusted editors or peers to refine the structure and ensure each poem is in its optimal place.
Insights: Think of your collection as a narrative arc, not just a random assortment of poems. Consider how each piece contributes to the whole, and don’t be afraid to rearrange or even remove poems that disrupt the flow.
4. Innovating with form: When a creative work demands new shapes
The museum timeline poem
Natalie's 'Elegy for Opportunity II': As Museum Timeline” exemplifies her willingness to experiment with form. Inspired by technical diagrams and museum timelines, the poem blends historical facts, found media, and poetic reflection in a visually striking layout.
What poet's can learn
Let a poem dictate form: If a poem isn’t working in a traditional structure, explore alternative formats—timelines, diagrams, or hybrid forms.
Draw from source material: Use external references (e.g., technical documents, historical records) to inspire new ways of presenting your ideas.
Embrace the visual: Don’t shy away from poems that are “page poems”—works that are meant to be seen as much as read.
Insights: Innovative forms can challenge readers to engage with your work on multiple levels. However, be prepared for the extra effort required in formatting and publishing such pieces, and consider how they might (or might not) translate to live readings.
5. Making poetry accessible and keeping depth
A poem's onversational style and relatability
Lim’s journey into poetry began with spoken word videos, not academic study. She intentionally writes in a conversational, approachable style, aiming to demystify poetry and invite readers—especially young people—to see themselves as poets.
What poet's can learn
Write as you speak: Use language that feels natural and immediate, as if you’re talking to a friend.
Ground the abstract: Anchor big ideas (like climate change or existential dread) in concrete, everyday experiences—pop culture, biology, relationships.
Encourage participation: Remind readers that poetry is for everyone, not just the literary elite.
Insights: Accessibility does not mean simplicity. Lim’s poems are technically accomplished and thematically rich, but their clarity and relatability make them inviting rather than intimidating. This approach is especially effective when tackling complex or heavy topics.
6. Blending the cosmic and the intimate in poetry
Expanding perspective
A hallmark of Natalie's collection is its ability to “zoom out”, so to speak, to cosmic scales—imagining life on Mars or the moon—while remaining grounded in human emotion and experience.
What a poet can learn
Use metaphor and imagination: Don’t be afraid to leap from the personal to the universal, or from the mundane to the cosmic, within a single poem.
Juxtapose scales: Place small, intimate moments alongside vast, existential questions to create resonance and perspective.
Invite wonder: Let your poetry be a space for both mourning and celebration, for grappling with loss and marveling at existence.
Insights: This interplay between the micro and macro not only enriches the poetry but also helps readers process overwhelming feelings—grief, hope, awe—by situating them within a larger context.
7. Expaning creativity in writing: Knowing when to try something different or new
Moving beyond the autobiographical
Natalie candidly shares her current creative crossroads. After years of writing deeply personal poetry, she feels the need to explore new directions, perhaps focusing on historical figures or less autobiographical material.
What a poet can learn
Recognize creative fatigue: If writing about yourself feels draining, give yourself permission to shift, pivot, or explore something else.
Seek new models: Look to other poets or genres for inspiration—biographical poetry, persona poems, or historical narratives.
Allow for evolution: Your creative focus can (and should) change over time. Embrace new challenges and interests as they arise.
Insights: Sustaining a writing practice means honoring your own needs and curiosities. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone or take a break from familiar subjects.
Poetry as connection and consolation
Natalie’s Elegy for Opportunity is a testament to the power of poetry to hold grief and joy, the cosmic and the personal, in a single breath. Her approach—deeply embedded in vulnerability, innovation, and accessibility—offers a roadmap for writers and readers alike who seek to engage deeply with the world and with themselves.
If you are a creative writer
Welcome vulnerability and honesty in your writing.
Structure your work thoughtfully, considering narrative flow and emotional pacing.
Innovate with form and structure when a poem demands it.
Write in a style that is accessible but not shallow.
Use poetry to bridge the gap between the personal and the universal.
Allow your creative practice to evolve as your interests and needs change.
If you are crafting your own collection or seeking to read more deeply, let Natalie's insights take you towards poetry that is meaningful and transformative.
Things I'm going to do next. How about you?
Buy and read Elegy for Opportunity to experience these lessons firsthand!
Try writing your own elegy, starting with a specific subject and expanding outward.
Experiment with new forms inspired by your poems.
Share your poetry with others, embracing both the vulnerability and the connection it brings.
Listen to the Natalie's interview with Kim, 'From the heart to Mars: A cosmic dive into grief and joy in poetry'.
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