Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Albert Goldbarth’s poem “Effect Over Distance” explores the theme of interconnectedness and the influence of emotions and thoughts across seemingly insurmountable distances. Through a combination of personal memory, historical reference, and philosophical musing, Goldbarth captures the complexities of human experience, particularly the impact of our inner lives on the external world.

The poem begins with a vivid description of Amaz-O the Grandiloquent, a magician performing for the Synagogue Social Society in Chicago in 1960. Goldbarth sets the stage with detailed imagery, invoking the sacred necropolis bird of ancient Egypt and the heavy inky incense that envelops the scene. This dramatic opening contrasts with the more mundane reality of the poet’s twelve-year-old self, embarrassed by both his age and his parents, who sit stiffly on either side of him.

Goldbarth deftly captures the adolescent fear and excitement as Amaz-O prepares to read an audience member’s mind. The poet's anxiety is palpable; he is terrified that his inappropriate thoughts about the magician’s assistant and his teacher, Miss Portney, will be exposed. This fear, while deeply personal and specific to the poet’s own experience, also touches on a universal theme: the vulnerability and shame associated with our innermost thoughts and desires.

The poem’s reflection on the concept of dramatic effect across distance takes a historical turn with a reference to medieval scholars and their belief in the healing power of "green vitriol." This belief that a wound could be healed from afar if a blood-stained cloth was treated with this miraculous powder underscores the idea that thoughts and actions can have effects far beyond their immediate context.

Goldbarth then moves to a more personal and modern reflection, noting how thinking of his wife while traveling can evoke strong feelings and influence his sense of connection to her, despite the physical distance. This contemplation is further enriched by the historical anecdote of Thomas Wright, whose father burned his books, igniting a passion in him that ultimately led to his visionary astronomical work. This anecdote serves as a metaphor for how powerful emotions and experiences can transcend time and space, influencing and shaping our futures in profound ways.

The poem concludes with a return to the magic show, where Amaz-O successfully reads the mind of Minnie Pinkus, revealing trivial yet embarrassing details of her life. The poet is relieved that his own thoughts remain private, yet the experience leaves him feeling a kinship with Wright, recognizing how even unnoticed or unspoken thoughts can burn within us, influencing our trajectories.

Through “Effect Over Distance,” Goldbarth intricately weaves personal narrative, historical reference, and philosophical reflection to explore the profound and often unseen connections between our inner lives and the external world. The poem suggests that our thoughts and emotions, no matter how private, have a powerful and lasting impact, resonating across distances both physical and temporal.

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