A Needed Introduction to "Poetry | Farewell to Earth"
In contrast to what he Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914—1953) wrote:
“Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
I wanted to offer you dear people a more positve and up-to-date view as some of us approach that event against which Thomas raged.
I know the term "crappy" is cringe-worthy but I have no word more poetically-applicable to one of those moments of desperation except maybe "sh**y."
In my calm moments, I get no warmer good feelings and wonder for this beautiful planet and the miracles of evolution and of the universe than those available on PBS. If I had to choose only two charities to which I could direct my bequeathings, they would be PBS and Wikipedia. I have gained so much from both during my recent "writing phase," since I retired. For you dear people I recommend immersion in both in order to keep your religious and spiritual assumptions in proper focus.
Poetry | Farewell to Earth
Fellow condemned:
Can we let down our petty competitive veils for a moment
And admit what we have had in common?
Yes, we've all had moments of joy that kept us enduring
The grief,
The failures,
The disease,
The loss of our senses — of smell, of sight, of taste, of hearing, of feeling in our extremities.
And worst of all, the loss of our ability to walk (and with that the loss, our independence.)
Who wouldn't secretly be glad to leave this crappy existence on this crappy planet — if the exit-process weren't so mysterious and frightening?
Bhudda speculated that the meaning of life was suffering. He failed to mention where this record of "suffering" was filed-away and who was evaluating it. All religious ideas eventually fall apart when examined under the microscope of time.
But take heart my contemporaries. Science is collecting increasing evidence of "Life afer Life,"* evidence that points to an existence beyond this phase where we currently suffer. Maybe the Bhudda was on the right track, after all. So, is this where the lessons of our suffering are "filed-away"?
Let's be glad to bid farewell to Earth.
As we make our exit, let our fervent prayers be for the succor of those loved-ones who will grieve our passing and for the youngsters, who are still fighting their life-long battle.
Love, Vern
*LIFE AFTER LIFE
Copyright © 1976 by
Dr. Raymond A. Moody, Jr.
Published by
STACKPOLE BOOKS
Cameron and Keller Streets
Harrisburg, PA 17105