Bellocq's Ophelia by Natasha Trethewey

E.J. Bellocq was a photographer in the early 1900s who took a series of photographs focusing on the sex workers in the red-light district in New Orleans.  Inspired by one in particular, Bellocq's Ophelia by Natasha Trethewey is the imagined account of one woman's life.  The poems explore her mixed race identity, her experiences as a sex worker, and the experience of sitting for the photographs themselves.  The majority of the poems are written from an imagined first person perspective and give insight into the culture and events of the times.

You can buy the book here:  https://www.amazon.com/Bellocqs-Ophelia-Poems-Natasha-Trethewey/dp/1555973590

And you can read more here:  https://southwritlarge.com/articles/poems-from-bellocqs-ophelia/