DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

How I became a Dylan Thomas fan:

I had read Dylan Thomas in high school because Miss Digman was a fan, but I had never had a great appreciation. After all, I was consumed with the study of Yeats!

Of course I knew that Bobby Zimmerman adopted Dylan as his last name as an homage and I thought that was merely cute!

In the 60's I saw a play on television called "Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night" starring Melvyn Douglas. I knew that the title was from a Dylan Thomas poem. It sent me on my search for more about Dylan Thomas and I devoured everything.


When I am "consumed", my friends and family tire of my endless referencing and quoting. I have "lifted" and "stolen" a great number of phrases for my own use: "old age should burn and rave at close of day", "their words had forked no lightning", "their frail deeds", "and learn too late they grieved on its way", "blind eyes could blaze like meteors", "curse, bless, me with your fierce tears". In writing I would, of course, attribute, but tossing them off in conversation, I doubt that I have given credit to ole Dylan!


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.