Rebellion

Poem: "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.


This poem shows rebellion against the one thing it is futile for humans to fight against: death. Death is inevitable; even kids could tell you that. While Thomas seems to agree, acknowledging that "wise men at their end know dark is right", he offers an opposing view to that of going quietly and accepting your fate. He says with this poem to fight death. Despite knowing that death will come, he says to rebel, to go out, to use the cliche, with a bang rather than a whimper. It seems as though Thomas is still placing value on those last moments of life, in contrast to not valuing those moments just because death is soon on its way.