A world and an age ago
a better father who loved me
sat beside my bed and read:
‘Do not go gentle into that good night.”
You said: this is just one time,
not the only time or the last.
But you’re wrong.
My courage, it seems,
has an expiration date,
as does my capacity
to weather anticipation.
When young, I hardly noticed
doors closing behind me as I passed.
Now I can see them closing
before ever I arrive at their portals.
Instead, I’ll conjure might-have-beens
and gaze on old photos of myself
with the pathetic nostalgia
of a missed future or a lost lover.
And I will indeed go gentle
into the milky haze of nevermore
because I’m no good man,
nor wild man, nor wise.
It is,
after all,
a quiet dusk
and a good night.
This piece references a very famous poem by Dylan Thomas. Read it or listen to him read it here.
oh, i’m tearful. You moved me, again.
RG, thank you for this poem.
Dylan Thomas, one of the great voices of his time.
‘Do not go gentle into that good night, is among my favourite poems it has been for longer than I care to remember.
Warm hugs,
Paul.
Mine too. I think it was read to me first when I was 7 or 8, and it’s stayed with me my whole life.
“Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way…”
I love his language, but I don’t have his courage.
RG,
I mourn the situation in which he died, I often wonder how he might have matured.
Warm hugs,
Paul.
Moving and beautiful sad words. Thank you.
I love this piece and share the sentiment. I will be waiting, not raging, when the time comes.
I’m curious about the title. It took me to Poe’s “The Raven” of course, a poem that could hardly be more different in style from Dylan but which shares his musicality of language. I assume you already feel yourself to be in the Raven’s shadow.
It’s very hard not to, once you hit a certain age. 😛
This is exquisitely, painfully beautiful and moving. Just…. thank. you.
So extraordinarily beautiful. And how could it not be with such exquisite inspiration.
*applauds*
The night will not necessarily be starless.
Your words touched my soul. Thank you for sharing. With your latest blogentry in mind I wanted to let you know that I enjoy your posts.