Poetry Sunday

This past Monday we celebrated the birthday in 1914 of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, the author of poems, short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often read aloud himself. He died from alcoholism on a book tour at age 39. His most famous poem, featured today, is a villanelle, a type of poem which uses repeated lines in a specific formula. He wrote this poem for his dying father ...

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

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 the 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.


In my family, Dylan Thomas is remembered each year in our Christmas tradition of reading and listening to his great story, "A Child's Christmas in Wales."  If you've never read it, wait until closer to Christmas and then do so ... you won't regret it.

Have a good day, and enjoy the rest of your weekend. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo