Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas

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Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night - A poem by Dylan Thomas.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

About the poem - "Do not go gentle into that good night", a villanelle, is considered to be among the finest works of Dylan Thomas. It is one of Thomas's most popular and accessible poems and is written for his dying father. Thomas relates the experience of watching his father, formerly in the Army, grow weak and frail with old age. The speaker tries to convince his father to fight against imminent death. The poem shows the author's fear of his own death and the realization that there is very little that separates life from death. The poem and in particular its two refrains 'Do not go gentle into that good night' and 'Rage, rage against the dying of the light' have become much quoted in popular culture.

About the poet - Dylan Marlais Thomas (1914 -- 1953) was a Welsh poet who is regarded by critics and historians as one of the most innovative poets of the 20th century. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, including British propaganda media during World War II. Thomas is viewed as part of the modernism and romanticism movements. Thomas' early poetry was noted for its verbal density, alliteration, sprung and internal rhyme.