A Parting Guest
By James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)
Born in Indiana, Riley had an uncle who was an amateur poet that wrote poems for the local newspaper. His friendship with his uncle led to his own poetic career, which was tumultuous and not of great financial success.
"A Parting Guest" What delightful hosts are they — Life and Love! Lingeringly I turn away, This late hour, yet glad enough They have not withheld from me Their high hospitality. So, with face lit with delight And all gratitude, I stay Yet to press their hands and say, "Thanks. — So fine a time! Good night."
I wouldn’t want to leave a party hosted by Life and Love either. I must admit I was surprised that the speaker of the poem themselves was “the parting guest.” I was expecting something about the nature of watching loved ones leave, but I was given a delightful meditation on leaving love. What a fun twist.
This poem highlights the importance of word choice in poetry, and a few really stick out to me. The first is the word “lingeringly”. Haven’t we all been a party where we knew it was time to leave, and we just didn’t want to. Said goodbye, then didn’t move. Standing around the door, but not yet opening it.
Next, the fact that their face can still be “lit with delight” although they must leave such a wonderful place seems powerful. It is tempting to read this as a meditation on death, particularly death after a life well lived. But I wonder if there isn’t a little more too. Perhaps this is about all of life, and not just death. Maybe, “high hospitality” and “a fine time” or whatever those may be symbols for need not last forever to be permanent. Maybe love, and the good things of life, stay with us far longer than the actual interaction.