Let Him Go Gentle

Here at Grow Me a Story, we like to talk about sowing seeds, and how sometimes the creative process takes time before a project, big or small, blooms and becomes the final product. I love the wisdom I hear from our participants in the weekly Artist’s Way Zoom sessions on this topic. My wise sister-in-law Christy Woolum reminded us recently that “gardening takes patience.” Which reminded me of the garden sign I hung this week that daughter Zoe made for us several years ago. Which led me again to memories of my dad. “Believe in your seed” and “never doubt your seed” are phrases he gave us to live by.

I planted a seed (God planted a seed?) in the form of an idea for a poem three years ago that finally bloomed today as I searched for a blog topic. I decided it was time to finish a poem that began 3 years ago around the time of my father’s passing. 

The most famous villanelle I know of is Dylan Thomas’ Do not go gentle into that good night. It's a piece of writing I dearly love, as Thomas mourns the passing of his father through the villanelle’s format of repeating lines, in this case a plea to his father dying of cancer. “Do not go gentle into that good night; rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

The passion of the Dylan Thomas poem is wonderful, and was with me for years in many of my English classes. But my experience during the passing of my own father was distinctly different. I’m glad I was finally able to get past the first two stanzas and watch this flower bloom on the page in front of me this afternoon.

Let him go gentle into that good night

Must old age burn and rave at close of day?

Sing, sing amidst the dying of the light.

A wise clan at the end knows death is right;

Since they heard his words bring lightening, they

Let him go gentle into that good night.

Good men and women, as tears blur your sight

Find strength in frailty midst the dark in this Way

Sing, sing, amidst the dying of the light.

Young men who searched for the Son in your fright

And found love, not too late, in your dismay,

Let him go gentle into that good night.

Old men, live life and see with a new sight

With vision like stars born anew today,

Sing, sing, amidst the dying of the light.

And now, my father, be blessed on this night.

You blessed me in all my fears as you prayed.

I let you go gentle into that good night.

I sing, sing, amidst the dying of the light.