Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Albert Goldbarth’s poem "Diagrams" delves into the intricate interplay between the physical world and its metaphysical representations, offering a meditation on how natural and man-made structures reflect and inform our understanding of larger cosmic patterns. Goldbarth’s adept use of imagery and metaphor highlights the profound connections between the mundane and the majestic, the micro and the macro, inviting readers to contemplate the deeper meanings encoded in everyday objects and experiences.

The poem opens with a seemingly innocuous observation about a rusty screw, whose spiraled threads evoke the image of a tornado. This connection is more than a mere visual similarity; it taps into the essence of how natural phenomena can be mirrored in the simplest of human creations. The rust on the screw, a specific shade of sienna, directly correlates with the color of Kansas soil, grounding the abstract image of a tornado in a tangible, geographical reality. This sets the stage for Goldbarth’s exploration of how the physical world serves as a diagram—a blueprint—for understanding larger, more complex systems.

Goldbarth continues to weave this theme of interconnectedness throughout the poem, using the elm leaf as a symbol of both decay and renewal. As the leaf dries and curls, it transforms into a set of directions, a schematic for the sturdy hull of a Viking ship. This metaphor extends further as the leaf, burning in autumn, becomes a Viking funeral ship, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life and death, construction and destruction. The elm leaf, a simple, everyday object, thus becomes a conduit for contemplating historical and cultural narratives.

The poem's imagery shifts to the human body, specifically the veins in the wrist, which Goldbarth likens to a dowser's hazel-switch. This comparison underscores the idea that our bodies, too, are blueprints, reflecting the natural world's principles. The veins, carrying life-sustaining blood, are akin to the dowsing rod seeking water—a connection that emphasizes the elemental and vital forces that underpin existence.

Goldbarth further personalizes these connections through the intimate image of holding a woman's face in the dark. This moment, tender and tactile, becomes a means of 'reading' the universe's organization. The woman’s face, with its contours and features, mirrors the larger cosmic structures, from starfish arms to spiral nebulae. The poet’s hands on her face symbolize an intimate understanding of the cosmos, achieved through human connection and sensory experience.

The poem culminates in a poignant return to the image of the screw, now revealed to be a fossil mollusc. This revelation serves as a powerful metaphor for the continuity and simplicity underlying complex systems. The fossil, a small stone whorl, encapsulates the essence of natural programming, the DNA of the universe itself. By ending on this note, Goldbarth reinforces the idea that the most intricate and profound patterns of existence are often found in the simplest, most unassuming forms.

"Diagrams" thus operates on multiple levels, combining vivid imagery with philosophical musings to explore how the natural world and human experiences reflect and inform each other. Goldbarth’s masterful use of metaphor and symbolism invites readers to look beyond the surface of everyday objects and events, to see the underlying patterns and connections that shape our understanding of the universe. The poem becomes a meditation on the inherent beauty and order in chaos, the simplicity in complexity, and the profound in the mundane. Through this exploration, Goldbarth offers a deeply resonant reflection on the interconnectedness of all things, urging readers to recognize the diagrams that lie hidden in plain sight.

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