I saw an Instagram post the other day: HOW TAYLOR SWIFT CREATES UNIVERSAL LYRICS THROUGH SPECIFIC DETAIL. They listed the sensory details her lyrics state to describe people and emotions and how the gaps in between allow listeners to place THEMSELVES into the situations - sing along as if it was their life!
I've been editing #poetry recently for various clients who aim to be universally relatable through abstract ideas or concepts. However, connection with the reader lies in specifics. Encourage empathy by painting exact pictures for them to place themselves into.
Sensory detail, exact metaphors and similes and perhaps surprising contrasts in imagery: make the reader do the work. They already want to!