Narrator, “Mapping the Genome”
The narrator of this poem clearly reveres the geneticists that are working on the mapping of the human genome, and wishes to share this reverence with his readers. When he thinks about the complexity of the human genome, and the efforts of the geneticists that are mapping it, he is reminded of a driver or topographer that is driving through an uncharted desert. Along the way, the driver—much like the geneticists—will encounter unexpected roadblocks and vast stretches of uneventful turns. In this way, the narrator admires the work of geneticists and wants to share it with others.
Geneticists, “Mapping the Genome”
The geneticists in this poem, though never explicitly described by the narrator, play a key role in the movement of the poem. The geneticist is clearly admired by the narrator, who metaphorically views them as cartographers or topographers. The geneticist appears to be on a mission: to uncover the buried secrets of the human genetic code. To understand why human bodies fail when and how they do; to discover why humans are capable of all that we are. In this way, the geneticists in this poem is like a hero, whose endeavors will forever alter our understanding of evolution and humanity’s existence.
Narrator, “Nativity Scene in Bullet-Time”
Relatively little is known about the narrator of this poem. What is clear is that he is attending a New Year’s Eve party with his significant other. During the brief moments where the year transitions from old to new, he feels as if time has come to a near-complete stand-still. In this moment, the narrator looks around him and takes in this beautiful transition—where all of humanity moves forward into an entirely new chapter of existence. He notes the beauty of the city’s lights and the couples all leaning in for a kiss as the bell tolls to twelve. The narrator marvels in this and wants to share his realization with his readers.
Narrator’s Significant Other, “Nativity Scene in Bullet-Time”
The narrator of this poem is attending a New Year’s Eve party with his significant other—presumably a woman. Just as the clock strikes twelve and the near year replaces the old, the narrator is about to lean in for a kiss with this woman. It is during this moment—when the narrator imagines that all the word has slowed its pace—that the man ponders what he and this woman could do in this spare moment. As this woman leans closer and closer for a kiss, it is suggested that she could reach out and touch the smoke ring that has just been emitted from someone’s mouth. Though this woman is a part of the narrator’s fantasy, it is suggested that she is not taking part in it. Therefore, at the end of the poem, when time has returned to normal, the narrator leans in and he and this woman share a customary New Year’s Eve kiss.
Partygoers, “Nativity Scene in Bullet-Time”
The fellow partygoers at this New Year’s Eve party merely serve as props for the narrator’s fantasy. Presumably, they are all going about their regular celebrations—smoking, drinking, kissing—when the narrator imagines that all the world has come to a halt. These individual guests, who are never named nor described in great detail, serve to further the narrator’s imagination and fantasy.
