Shawl

By Albert Goldbarth b. 1948 Albert Goldbarth

Eight hours by bus, and night

was on them. He could see himself now

in the window, see his head there with the country

running through it like a long thought made of steel and wheat.

Darkness outside; darkness in the bus — as if the sea

were dark and the belly of the whale were dark to match it.

He was twenty: of course his eyes returned, repeatedly,

to the knee of the woman two rows up: positioned so

occasional headlights struck it into life.

But more reliable was the book; he was discovering himself

to be among the tribe that reads. Now his, the only

overhead turned on. Now nothing else existed:

only him, and the book, and the light thrown over his shoulders

as luxuriously as a cashmere shawl.

Source: The Kitchen Sink: New and Selected Poems (Graywolf Press, 2007)

Biography

Acclaimed for its dense, expansive form and linguistic energy, Albert Goldbarth’s poetry covers everything from historical and scientific concerns to private and ordinary matters. His numerous, highly-regarded collections are often filled with long poems which range in style from playful and conversational to serious and philosophical. Goldbarth’s unique style is a mix of complex ideas and detailed descriptions woven together . . .

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