Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Albert Goldbarth’s poem "Brotherly" delves into the complexities of identity, familial bonds, and the human condition, using a surreal and fragmented narrative style. The poem's imagery and structure evoke a sense of confusion and duality, reflecting the intricacies of human relationships and the struggle to understand oneself.

The poem opens with a series of rhetorical questions that immediately place the reader in a world of myth and metaphor. "And wasn't he the one who flew?" suggests a figure akin to Icarus, invoking themes of ambition and fall. This question is followed by, "And wasn't he the one who ate flesh of his sistermotherfather?" which blends familial roles into a grotesque act of cannibalism, reminiscent of ancient myths where boundaries between family and self are blurred and violated.

The next line, "And didn't the dead ride boats up navigable veins in his body, still singing the songs of factory and tavern?" combines the imagery of death, industry, and everyday life. The "navigable veins" suggest a connection between the personal and the collective, as if the individual carries within them the memories and voices of those who have come before. This image captures the idea of legacy and the inescapable influence of one's heritage and environment.

The abrupt shift in the poem with "And ... but you woke up, didn't you? Don't we all?" brings the reader back to the present, grounding the surreal narrative in a common human experience: waking up. This line acts as a reminder of the daily renewal and the constant rebirth that each morning brings. It also highlights the duality of existence, the "joy this means, the wretchedness," encapsulating the bittersweet nature of life where each new day is both a blessing and a curse.

The final lines, "the siamese twin who lives," conclude the poem with a powerful metaphor. The siamese twin represents the inextricable link between individuals and their identities, the way we are bound to our past, our family, and our experiences. Living as the "siamese twin" implies a life of constant negotiation between the self and the other, between independence and connection. The metaphor also suggests survival, resilience, and the inherent struggle of carrying another’s burden while trying to define one's own existence.

Goldbarth’s use of vivid, often jarring imagery creates a tapestry of mythic and modern elements, reflecting the multifaceted nature of identity and human experience. The poem's fragmented structure mirrors the complexity of these themes, inviting readers to piece together the narrative and find their own meanings within it. Through "Brotherly," Goldbarth explores the tension between individual identity and the collective human experience, offering a poignant reflection on what it means to live, to remember, and to wake up each day as both oneself and as a part of a larger whole.

 
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