Poetry Unbound Eugenia Leigh — How the Dung Beetle Finds Its Way Home
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Jan 1, 2024 Korean American poet Eugenia Leigh reflects on finding her way back home after storming out. She explores internal struggles through the metaphor of dung beetles using the Milky Way. Eugenia shares her journey as a survivor of childhood abuse and discusses the themes of her book on mental illness. The poem emphasizes the power of metaphor in guiding and supporting the speaker through family, self-discovery, and breaking destructive patterns.
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Returning Home
- Pádraig Ó Tuama argued with his father and stormed out, only to return home shortly after.
- This small act of returning began a shift in their dynamic, suggesting alternative responses to conflict.
Dung Beetle Metaphor
- Eugenia Leigh's poem uses the dung beetle's navigation by the Milky Way as a metaphor for finding one's way back home.
- This metaphor explores themes of family, forgiveness, and breaking free from blame.
Blame and the Past
- The poem explores the complex relationship with blame and the possibility of not letting past experiences define one's present.
- It acknowledges the weight of past trauma while focusing on the potential for change and growth.