Robert Nichols
For the last time, maybe, upon the knoll
I stand. The eve is golden, languid, sad….
Day like a tragic actor plays his rôle
To the last whispered word, and falls gold-clad.
I, too, take leave of all I ever had.
They shall not say I went with heavy heart:
Heavy I am, but soon I shall be free;
I love them all, but O I now depart
A little sadly, strangely, fearfully,
As one who goes to try a Mystery.
The bell is sounding down in Dedham Vale:
Be still, O bell! too often standing here
When all the air was tremulous, fine, and pale,
Thy golden note so calm, so still, so clear,
Out of my stony heart has struck a tear.
And now tears are not mine. I have release
From all the former and the later pain;
Like the mid-sea I rock in boundless peace,
Soothed by the charity of the deep sea rain….
Calm rain! Calm sea! Calm found, long sought in vain.
O bronzen pines, evening of gold and blue,
Steep mellow slope, brimmed twilit pools below,
Hushed trees, still vale dissolving in the dew,
Farewell! Farewell! There is no more to do.
We have been happy. Happy now I go.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem captures the poignant blend of farewell, acceptance, and serenity that comes with a moment of profound transition. The speaker stands at the edge of an ending, whether literal or metaphorical, reflecting on the life they are leaving behind and the mysterious unknown that lies ahead.
The opening lines set a golden, mournful scene: the speaker, perched on a knoll, observes the day’s final act, its descent rendered theatrical—”Day like a tragic actor plays his rôle.” The imagery of the sun’s departure mirrors the speaker’s own leave-taking, both dignified and suffused with sadness. The poet’s choice of “gold-clad” underscores the beauty of the moment, a beauty tinged with the melancholy of impermanence.
The speaker’s departure is not devoid of affection or attachment. “I love them all, but O I now depart,” they admit, with a mix of love and trepidation. The “Mystery” they approach is left undefined, heightening the tension between fear and curiosity. This mystery could symbolize death, a new chapter in life, or a spiritual awakening—whatever it is, it pulls the speaker forward with a quiet inevitability.
The bell tolling in Dedham Vale becomes a powerful auditory image, calling back to past moments of emotional resonance. The speaker acknowledges the times when the bell’s clarity struck tears from their “stony heart,” but now they feel a release from that past pain. The transformation is striking: the speaker, who once wept, is now beyond tears, carried by a newfound peace.
The middle stanza is a lyrical meditation on this peace, with the “mid-sea” and “deep sea rain” evoking vastness and renewal. The speaker finds calm in nature’s rhythms, as if the ocean and rain have absolved them of life’s turmoil. The imagery of water conveys a cleansing and a quiet acceptance, a surrender to something greater than themselves.
In the final lines, the speaker turns to the landscape for a tender farewell. The “bronzen pines,” “twilit pools,” and “hushed trees” evoke a serene, dreamlike quality, as if the world itself pauses to honor the parting. The repetition of “Farewell! Farewell!” underscores the finality of the moment, but it is not a heavy farewell. Instead, it is imbued with gratitude and peace: “We have been happy. Happy now I go.”
This poem resonates as an ode to endings, not as sources of despair but as gateways to serenity and transcendence. It captures the duality of sadness and freedom, of love for what has been and readiness for what comes next. The language is simple yet deeply evocative, making the speaker’s quiet, brave acceptance feel universal and timeless.