“The Universe as Primal Scream” by Tracy K. Smith (2011)

This poem exists in a much more intimate setting than “The Universe: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.” But the poem uses many of the same techniques, and it asks similar existential questions about existence, life, and the purpose of humanity. In the poem, Smith describes two children screaming at the top of their lungs for no apparent reason. Their screams take the speaker on a metaphysical journey alluding to history, theology, and evolution. The speaker uses the screams as a launching point into a speech about welcoming eternity and seeking purpose. The poem ends on uncertain terms as the speaker wonders if the screams will ever meet whatever it is the children are screaming for.

“The Galaxy” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1893)

In this sonnet, Longfellow employs historical and mythological imagery to describe his wonder when looking up at the night sky. Longfellow alludes to Saint Christopher, Christopher Columbus, and the Greek myth of Phaethon to describe various figures who either looked to the sky for guidance or who rode across the sky. The poem transitions into Longfellow’s own feelings about the night sky, saying he does not see history or mythology in the sky, but only the beauty of stars and galaxies that exist beyond the endless black.