Villanelle: The Waking

The Waking

By Theodore Roethke



I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close behind me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lonely worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air;
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.

---------------------------------------------------------
This poem gives me a variety of mood and emotions. The poem somehow gives me a philosophical feeling due to the repetition of the lines in each stanzas. The stanzas establishing the rhyme and rhythm creates the flow or mood the author wants the readers to feel. I think these structure of the villanelle poetry really makes the poem moody. Personally the part where Theodore wrote "God bless the ground!" was the line that made me think of God and his creations. "The Waking" is an interesting poem that makes the reader think of many ideas. The rhyme scheme pattern is also the same as the other usual Villanelle poems. ABAABAABAABAABAABAA. I also see personification of a worm climbing up the tree which is a figurative language. The uses of figurative language by the author really caught my attention into focusing the poem. I think the basic meaning for this poem is that we should wake up from our imagination and that we should realize the fact and reality.