Laws of the Universe By Albert Goldbarth - Giggle Poems

Original Poem：

The renewal project is doomed: because
its funding board’s vice-president resigned: because
the acids of divorce were eating day-long
at her stomach, at her thoughts: because
her husband was neglecting her, in favor of his daughter,
who was dying: because
her
husband,
bi and edgy, bore an AIDS sore that was ripe
enough with fear and woe to throw this whole
thick network of connections off its balance
and down a hole of human misery. Haven’t we seen it happen?
—when a crowded room at a party was tilted
perilously askew by the weight of two
wept tears that weren’t as large as a housefly’s wings,
that couldn’t have filled a pistachio shell.

---

It’s like this: because because because,
Sawyer was drunk when he delivered his opening remarks
onstage at Stardome Planetarium. He
stood below a slide show of “The Emptiness of Outer Space”
—stars and planets, scattered like the scantest
motes of dust in unimaginable void—and was about
to make the leap to what percent of
us
,
our dearly thumping bodies, is a corresponding emptiness . . .
when one foot met a wire that had strayed
outside the curtain, and a wild arc of hand undid
the podium, which canted off its casters sidelong
into the 3-D galaxy props, and you could say whatever
thimble or pustule or hackle of grief was his,
it had toppled the whole damn universe.

---

Was she a ghost? Sometimes she
thought
she was
a ghost, transparent, stealing through the lives of people
untouched and untouching. And so she carried a bucket
of burning coals (we’ll call it that for now) against
her breasts; and then she knew she was alive. And
he. . . ?—was just the rusty foxing that an antique book
exhales into dim air, wasn’t
that
what he was,
oh it was, yes it was, and so one afternoon he strapped
a meteorite to his back, and now he walks the streets
like anybody else. An ageless tribal saying:
If you aren’t given a burden, you must carve your own.
An eye will do, if it’s ill. One word, if it’s cruel.
And don’t be fooled by breath: the throat holds up
some old-time blues the way a hod holds bricks.

---

But she
didn’t
die of full-blown AIDS
—Sawyer’s daughter. Even so, her twisted legs and limp
are enough to sometimes send him a little
over the blotto line. Tonight, though, after show time,
he’s just soused enough to wander through the mock-up
stage-set milky ways agog with child-wonder:
all those luminescent islands! all that vacuum!
Look: a
planet
floats, there’s that much cosmos
all around it. A
planet
! While we . . . we couldn’t
squint and levitate a half inch, not the guru-most
among us. Well, we
could
: if the laws of the universe changed.
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.

Analysis and Interpretation of the Poem

This poem explores themes of human suffering, fragility, and existential emptiness through vivid imagery and deeply personal experiences. It begins by portraying a failed renewal project symbolizing broader collapse, triggered by emotional and relational turmoil—divorce, neglect, illness, and death. The vice-president’s resignation is not just a professional setback but a metaphor for how personal pain can unravel complex social and emotional networks.

The poem then shifts to a scene involving Sawyer, who, while intoxicated, attempts to speak about the vast emptiness of outer space. This moment symbolizes the fragility of human existence against the backdrop of the infinite cosmos. The physical stumble that disrupts the presentation mirrors how personal grief can destabilize even the grandest constructs of understanding.

The third section introduces a ghost-like figure who struggles with identity and existence, carrying a “bucket of burning coals” as proof of life. This metaphor reflects the burden of emotional pain and the human need to feel alive despite suffering. The mention of an “ageless tribal saying” about carving one’s own burden emphasizes the universal nature of hardship.

Finally, the poem returns to Sawyer’s daughter, who, despite not dying of AIDS, lives with physical impairments that deeply affect her father. The closing imagery of wandering through a mock-up galaxy filled with glowing “islands” and a floating planet contrasts human limitations with the vastness of the universe. The poem ends on a poignant note about how our earthly lives anchor us, preventing us from drifting into nothingness.

Background and Author Introduction

While the poem does not explicitly name the author, its style and themes suggest a contemporary poet deeply engaged with issues of illness, loss, and existential reflection. The vivid personal details—such as the vice-president’s divorce, Sawyer’s daughter’s illness, and the planetarium setting—indicate a work grounded in real human struggles, possibly inspired by the AIDS crisis and its social impact.

The poem’s fragmented structure and repeated use of “because” create a rhythm that mimics the relentless, compounding nature of grief and misfortune. The author’s use of cosmic imagery juxtaposed with intimate human pain invites readers to contemplate the scale of suffering in relation to the universe.

Reflections and Insights

Reading this poem encourages us to recognize the interconnectedness of personal and collective suffering. It reminds us that behind every social or professional failure lies a web of human stories filled with pain, hope, and resilience. The poem’s cosmic metaphors prompt reflection on our place in the universe and the weight of our earthly existence.

For students and young readers, this poem offers an opportunity to explore complex emotions and the power of metaphor in poetry. It shows how poetry can express difficult experiences and provoke deep thought about life, death, and meaning.

Educational Value and Learning Points

From this poem, students can learn:

• How poetry uses metaphor and imagery to convey abstract ideas like emptiness, grief, and resilience.
• The concept of symbolism, such as the “bucket of burning coals” representing emotional burden.
• The importance of structure and repetition in creating rhythm and emphasizing themes.
• Insights into social issues like illness (AIDS), family dynamics, and emotional trauma.
• How poetry can bridge personal experience and universal themes.

In life and learning contexts, this poem can inspire discussions on:

• Coping with adversity and emotional pain.
• Understanding the impact of illness on families.
• The relationship between individual struggles and broader societal challenges.
• The use of creative expression to process complex feelings.

Reading Comprehension Exercises

1. What causes the renewal project to fail in the poem?
2. Describe the significance of Sawyer’s stumble during his presentation.
3. What does the “bucket of burning coals” symbolize?
4. How does the poem use cosmic imagery to explore human existence?
5. What lesson does the tribal saying about burdens convey?
6. Why does the poem end with the image of a floating planet?
7. How does the poem connect personal grief with universal themes?

Answers

1. The renewal project fails because the vice-president resigns due to personal turmoil, including divorce and her husband’s neglect, compounded by his illness and their daughter’s condition.
2. Sawyer’s stumble symbolizes how personal grief and instability can disrupt even the grandest attempts to explain or understand the universe.
3. The “bucket of burning coals” represents the emotional pain and burden the ghost-like figure carries, a tangible proof of being alive despite suffering.
4. Cosmic imagery highlights the vast emptiness of space, contrasting it with human fragility and the heaviness of earthly life.
5. The tribal saying suggests that if life does not give you a burden, you will create one yourself, emphasizing the inevitability of hardship.
6. The floating planet symbolizes the vastness of the cosmos and human limitations, showing how life on Earth anchors us and prevents us from drifting into nothingness.
7. The poem links individual pain and loss to larger existential questions, showing how personal grief can reflect universal human experiences.

This poem is a profound meditation on loss, resilience, and the human condition, offering rich material for literary study and emotional reflection.