Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Goodbye," Galway Kinnell explores themes of loss, memory, and the inevitability of separation through the lens of personal and collective experiences. The poem is structured in three sections, each reflecting on different moments and aspects of saying goodbye, interwoven with vivid imagery and profound reflections.

The poem opens with a poignant depiction of the poet's mother on her deathbed: "My mother, poor woman, lies tonight / in her last bed. It’s snowing, for her, in her darkness." The snow here symbolizes both the passage of time and the cold finality of death. The speaker’s internal struggle is evident as he swallows down the goodbyes he will not get to express, highlighting the emotional turmoil and the sense of unfinished business that often accompanies loss: "I swallow down the goodbyes I won’t get to use, / tasteless, with wretched mouth-water." The phrase "whatever we are, she and I, we’re nearly cured" suggests a resolution or coming to terms with their relationship and the impending finality.

The first section also includes a memory from the poet's past: "The night years ago when I walked away / from that final class of junior high school students / in Pittsburgh." A young student runs after him to say goodbye, tears falling amidst the swirling snow. This scene mirrors the current moment of impending farewell to his mother, connecting the personal past with the present and underscoring the recurring nature of goodbyes in life.

In the second section, Kinnell reflects on the persistent nature of tears and the way history shapes our understanding of loss: "Tears have kept on falling. History / has taught them its slanted understanding / of the human face." The image of snow as a "disintegrating curtain" that falls during each final embrace reinforces the idea of separation and the passage of time eroding the present into the past. The mind's tendency to "shred the present, once the past is over" speaks to the fragmented nature of memory and how we cope with loss.

The Derry graveyard scene is particularly evocative: "In the Derry graveyard where only her longings sleep / and armfuls of flowers go out in the drizzle." Here, the graveskeeper's blarney about the Irish grass and shamrock growing over the graves adds a touch of dark humor and cultural specificity, emphasizing the blend of life, death, and the rituals that surround them. The graves, where "the bodies not yet risen must lie nearly forever," evoke a sense of permanence and the slow passage of time in contrast to the fleeting nature of human life.

The final section returns to Pittsburgh, contemplating the passage of time and the inevitable changes it brings: "In Pittsburgh tonight, those who were young / will be less young, those who were old, more old, or more likely / no more." The streets that were once filled with life will eventually become empty, a metaphor for the universal experience of loss and the passage of generations. The poet envisions a future where "the streets all over the world will be empty" and even in heaven, the golden cobblestones have fallen still, symbolizing the ultimate stillness and quiet of death.

The poem concludes with a powerful reflection on the nature of human connection and the inevitability of emptiness: "everyone’s arms will be empty, everyone’s mouth, the Derry earth. / It is written in our hearts, the emptiness is all. / That is how we learned, the embrace is all." This final assertion underscores the poem's central message: despite the emptiness and the inevitability of separation, the moments of connection and embrace are what give life meaning.

"Goodbye" is a deeply moving meditation on loss, memory, and the human condition. Through its rich imagery and reflective tone, Kinnell captures the profound emotions associated with saying farewell and the enduring impact of those moments. The poem invites readers to contemplate the fleeting nature of life and the significance of the connections we make along the way.

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