The Good Life

“My God, It’s Full of Stars” by Tracy K. Smith (2011)

Appearing second in the first section of Life on Mars, this longer poem does a great job of touching on many of the major themes and motifs of Smith’s book. The poem is split into multiple sections that deal with outer space, science fiction, Smith’s childhood, God, and existential satisfaction. Though “The Good Life” may not touch on many of the flashier themes of the book and appears in the fourth and final section of Life on Mars, “My God, It’s Full of Stars” provides a valuable counterpoint for the typical style and subject matter of the poems in Smith’s collection.

“US & CO.” by Tracy K. Smith (2011)

This formally striking poem is the last to appear in Smith’s collection Life on Mars. Even shorter than “The Good Life,” “US & CO.” is interested in similar themes and questions. How and why should we live, and in what should we find satisfaction? The poem reflects on similar existential issues to “The Good Life,” and expands Smith’s articulation of what such a life looks like as she assembles her ideas in Life on Mars.

“Blue” by Carl Phillips (1992)

Carl Phillips is another important voice in contemporary American poetry and, more importantly, was also a one-time Harvard undergraduate and member of the Dark Room Collective along with Tracy K.