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This isn't snark. I legitimately tried explaining in my own words. I wasn't satisfied, so: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/poignant

hmm. http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/poignant?q=... (also my dead-tree concise oxford, with a longer entry, doesn't have anything that's not emotionally affected, one way or another).

i suspect it's a cultural variation.

As mentioned by one of the other replies, it comes from "to prick" in Old French, so the usage you're seeing—Profoundly moving; touching—seems to align with that fairly well, at a glance.

It comes from French in the first place - it's something that involves you deeply/stimulates you on an emotional/intellectual level. You can't use this for people but you use this for things or works of art usually.

"strong in mental appeal"

a subject of poignant interest.