Jen Siraganian: Generational Trauma

By: Carmen Feliz

It can be rattling for a person to realize they respond to certain situations and develop coping mechanisms as a result of generational trauma. Los Gatos poet laureate, Jen Siraganian, touches on the agony residing deep in her genetic makeup.

In her poem, “Inheritance,” Siraganian writes about how she could not understand her parents’ experiences yet feels a connection to their stories on a deep level. Siraganian alludes that her family’s generational trauma stems from the Armenian genocide. The full poem can be found here.

... my DNA stained / with the unlimitedness of their loss.

Jen Siraganian's poetry is published in numerous anthologies and journals. Her chapbook, Fracture, is available for purchase on her website.

*Cover photo is taken directly from jensiraganian.com