Elegy

What is an elegy (be sure to site your source)? How does e.e. Cummings modify this type of poem?

An Elegy is a mournful poem; a lament for the dead.

(Source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=elegy)

The shape of the poem is an arrowhead.

In the poem "Buffalo Bill" By E.E Cummings, elegy is present throughout the whole poem. "Buffalo Bill's defunct" is how the poem starts out. With just the word defunct we know that this poem is going to refer to something or someone who no longer is in existence; someone who has already died. The poem continues with the justification of how Buffalo bill use to be. They described what he use to ride and how he use to live life. "Jesus he was a handsome man". Here we get the feeling that the author is mentioning another character in the poem. But we get confused because we're not sure if he's talking about a man or if he's just using an expression. "And what i want to know is how do you like your blue eyed boy Mister Death." Death is mentioned at the end of the poem. What I believe its trying to say is that Death has taken Buffalo Bill away. Hoping now that he is happy with what he has taken away from others.