The Sciences Sing a Lullabye by Albert Goldbarth

Albert Goldbarth

The Sciences Sing a Lullabye by Albert Goldbarth

T.

Sleep. Sleep! I feel like I’ve just discovered it, and it’s the most wonderful thing in the world. The universe, even.

The Sciences Sing a Lullabye

Albert Goldbarth

Physics

says: go to sleep. Of course

you’re tired. Every atom in you

has been dancing the shimmy in silver shoes

nonstop from mitosis to now.

Quit tapping your feet. They’ll dance

inside themselves without you. Go to sleep.

Geology

says: it will be all right. Slow inch

by inch America is giving itself

to the ocean. Go to sleep. Let darkness

lap at your sides. Give darkness an inch.

You aren’t alone. All of the continents used to be

one body. You aren’t alone. Go to sleep.

Astronomy

says: the sun will rise tomorrow,

Zoology

says: on rainbow-fish and lithe gazelle,

Psychology

says: but first it has to be night, so

Biology

says: the body-clocks are stopped all over town

and

History

says: here are the blankets, layer on layer, down and down.

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