As a lament or dirge, the chapter expresses the desperate state of Jerusalem, Judah and even Israel (Lamentations 1:17) after the fall of Jerusalem into the hands of the Babylonians.
The suffering came in the form of hunger, exile, and destruction. It affects everyone — Jerusalem’s depiction as widow refers to all its citizens. This includes her priests, young women and men, and children. The inhabitants of Judah were also affected.
The people and their city have been forsaken by everyone, including her former allies. It seems that even God has forsaken them.
It is acknowledged that their suffering is because of their sin.
Prayer for relief is directed towards God, which includes a plea for judgment over her enemies.1
1 How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave.