Goodnight

My books are available on Amazon.

Goodnight to the cracked sidewalks
and memories of flickering neon
and bars I shouldn’t have wandered into.

The night stumbling in the shadows,
booze-stained jacket
and whiskey snarling in my stomach.

Goodnight to the Iowa River,
Clear Lake,
the fairway at Oak Hills.

Spring waiting with bass and walleye,
the deep lurking musky,
golf balls bouncing off walking paths.

Wind ripping through the oak trees
like it knows my secrets.

Goodnight to my kids,
their laughter and homework assignments
scattered across kitchen tables,
orange juice and breakfast
spilling in morning light.

Goodnight to the edges of the living rooms
I once tore through like a blizzard,
hands shaking,
heart buzzing,
trying to hold it all together.

Goodnight to the chaos,
the bottles, the lies,
the soundtrack of destruction.

Goodnight to the poems
scrawled on napkins
and walls of abandoned houses.

Goodnight to the tired hands,
fingers mud-stained,
trying to make something that mattered�"
something that lasted longer than
the rotting bones
and flowers on tombstones.

Goodnight to the creator,
quiet, patient, waiting,
hands folded over the hole
I spent a lifetime
trying to fill.

And goodnight to you too.

Author's Note

I just dropped a new poetry video on YouTube words read out loud, no polish, no net:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?vLEQlkNVsIQA

My books are on Amazon if you want more.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thomas-W.-Case/author/B0CL2RKDGX?refsr

Reviews

[Rosie E C…]

Oh, a very haunting piece.

A bit of a rollercoaster this one.

But overall, I think this poem gives you the best opportunity to self-reflect and to focus on what’s next.

We don’t live at a stand still forever. We keep moving, we keep going.

What is around the corner? It is mysterious and not a Goodnight gone for good, I hope.

Snap out, look at the stars..

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[FlatDaddy]

Thomas, this brought tears to my eyes because it seemed too much like a true goodbye to me, and I would hate that. I know from our correspondence that this is not the case. We still have the Superbowl to scream and rant about, then who knows what the new year could bring for Arch Manning and Texas! Oh, I know that it just hit me at a rough time, but the rawness of your words, and their dark truths are hard on an old man's soul, my brother. Don't you have anything with puppies and kittens squabbling on the kitchen floor? Sometimes your truth is hard to take -- but I'll keep reading it, my friend.
BTW, I just tried your link to your new video, and it keeps jumping back to youtube.com. The one to your books is fine.

[Thomas W Case]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEQlkNVsIQA

[Thomas W Case]

if you copy and paste this....it will work.

[Thomas W Case]

I appreciate your kind words, my friend.
also, if you just put in Thomas W. Case on you tube....my page will come up....hundreds of golf, poetry, and fishing videos

https://www.youtube.com/@ThomasWCase

[Neville]

Nothing short of brilliant Thomas .. I only wish I had got here first .. Much respect, Neville

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend. High praise from a writer I respect.

[Zatoichi]

As others have noted, you are an exceptional painter of words. The pictures are translucent, revealing and concealing the passage of time and the toll it takes on the soul. Bravo

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.

[WanderingWriter]

Beautifully written, tragic piece. Keep up the great work!

[Thomas W Case]

Much appreciated.

[red93]

'Do not go gentle into that goodnight,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.'

Exceptional ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend. Love Dylan Thomas.

[John the Baptist]

By God, Thomas, you surely can paint a picture of the downside. I'll bet it will last much longer than the rotting flowers on tombstones.

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, kind sir.

[Curly Grace]

This reads like a soft farewell to every version of a life...wild, broken, tender. The quiet at the end feels earned.

[Thomas W Case]

Much appreciated. Thanks.

[Soren]

Final in its feeling it closes the door. It feels dark but then one might take it positively as an awakening to something better a new day that is coming. A thought provoking write. Nicely done Thomas

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you. MUCH APPRECIATED.

[Soren]

Most welcome

[Michael Sun Bear]

The repetition is very effective. The last six lines just blew me away. You know I love the whole darn thing.

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.