Definition:
Poignant - a sharp sense of sadness, pity, or regret.


Example:
“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone. “
~ Harriet Beecher Stowe, Little Foxes


Explanation:
In this quote, the speaker conveys to the audience a sense of regret. The image of a grave site and someone crying over it is an image filled with sadness. The speaker is attempting to elicit in the reader an emotional response through this imagery and make them remember something in their own life that is poignant in his or her own way.