22.5: Interlude 22: Prolationem

Sometimes, I must stop and admire the words written years before I was born. This quote is from the 1930s, a point in time when American literature possessed impactful perspectives on life. Some of it was good, some of it was bad, but it could be found packed into only a few sentences.

The Quote

"They are dust; they are forgotten; we stand; we know; we are. Ride, ride on." – Robert E. Howard, The Shadow Kingdom

My Thoughts

Robert E. Howard fathered a subgenre of fantasy (Sword and Sorcery), and his work lives on through reprints, movies, and video games. However, it is anyone’s guess what more he could have accomplished if he had not taken his own life at the age of 30. If only he had taken his own advice.

This is how my mind interprets the quote: Respect what is no more; honor the memories no one else has; we stand when accepting our burdens; we know our worth; we are alive. Move forward, even if it is only one step at a time.

I have nothing but respect for a man whose contemporaries were J. R. R. Tolkien and H. P. Lovecraft, both of whom admired Howard’s work. Robert E. Howard’s stories are filled with the darkness that reflected his personal life. I think darkness consumed a truly talented man until he was convinced that no light was left in the world.

Please remember that darkness only exists to provide contrast between what is known and unknown; it provides a measure of warning so that we will not become lost. If you ever feel that the darkness is pressing in, it does not mean you have failed; it means you must find another way to live. Everyone creates their own light no matter if they can see it. I am ending this post with the final lines of a poen I like: “Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” – Dylan Thomas

Until next time, I am Nolan… Ex Tenebris.