Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Albert Goldbarth's poem "Laws of the Universe" intricately explores the interconnectedness of human experience and the delicate balance of emotions and events that shape our lives. Through a series of cascading cause-and-effect relationships, Goldbarth illustrates how seemingly small and personal moments can have far-reaching consequences.

The poem begins with the "renewal project" being doomed, tracing this outcome back through a chain of events that highlights the fragility of human relationships. The resignation of the funding board's vice-president is linked to her personal turmoil, stemming from her husband's divided attention between her and his dying daughter. The husband's bisexuality and fear of AIDS further complicate the emotional landscape, showing how individual struggles can disrupt larger systems and projects. This opening section underscores the poem's central theme: the intricate web of causes and effects that govern our lives.

Goldbarth's use of the word "because" repeated in a rhythmic cadence emphasizes the inevitability and interconnectedness of these events. Each "because" acts as a stepping stone, leading the reader deeper into the chain of causality. The metaphor of the party room being tilted by two small tears captures the disproportionate impact that personal grief can have on the broader social environment.

In the second section, the poem shifts to a more cosmic perspective, juxtaposing the emptiness of outer space with the emptiness within the human body. Sawyer's drunken mishap during his presentation at the Stardome Planetarium symbolizes the fragility of human endeavors against the vast, indifferent backdrop of the universe. The imagery of the podium toppling into the 3-D galaxy props serves as a metaphor for how personal failings can disrupt the perceived order of the universe.

The third section introduces a woman who feels ghost-like, moving through life untouched and untouching. Her burden, symbolized by a bucket of burning coals, gives her a sense of being alive. Similarly, a man who feels like the "rusty foxing" of an antique book straps a meteorite to his back to ground himself in reality. These characters embody the ageless tribal saying: "If you aren’t given a burden, you must carve your own." This section delves into the human need for burdens or challenges to feel connected and alive, highlighting how self-imposed or external weights shape our identities and experiences.

The poem's concluding section brings us back to Sawyer and his daughter. Despite not succumbing to full-blown AIDS, her physical limitations remind Sawyer of life's burdens, leading him to seek solace in alcohol. However, his drunken wanderings through the planetarium's mock-up stage set rekindle a child-like wonder at the cosmos. The final lines poignantly capture the paradox of human existence: "It’s only the Earth that makes us so heavy. / It’s only our lives that keep our lives / from floating off into the nothing."

Goldbarth masterfully weaves together personal, emotional, and cosmic scales of experience, demonstrating how the laws of the universe apply as much to our inner lives as to the outer cosmos. The poem’s exploration of interconnectedness, burden, and the delicate balance of existence invites readers to reflect on their own lives and the invisible threads that tie us all together.

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