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.
From The Poems of Dylan Thomas, published by New Directions. Copyright © 1952, 1953 Dylan Thomas. Copyright © 1937, 1945, 1955, 1962, 1966, 1967 the Trustees for the Copyrights of Dylan Thomas. Copyright © 1938, 1939, 1943, 1946, 1971 New Directions Publishing Corp. Used with permission.
LECTURE: Dylan Thomas - Do not go gentle into that good night
The most anthologized example of a villanelle in the English language, the poem from Interstellar, one of literature's most deliciously quotable pieces and Dylan Thomas's cry to his dying father not to peacefully accept his coming death. We may ask though, who is the poet really trying to convince? His father, or himself? Dr. Andrew Barker provides a sentence by sentence analysis and explanation of this legendary poem, and examines the complexities that have contributed to its popularity.
SOURCE: Mycroft lectures (2014), posted on YouTube, Duration: 44:33 mins, URL: https://youtu.be/2njLVAPINw8
Do not go gentle into that good night' by Dylan Thomas - Poem Analysis
Here's a detailed breakdown of Dylan Thomas' poem 'Do not go gentle into that good night' - including analysis, poetic devices, structure/form points, context and exploration of themes!
SOURCE: Scribbly (2020), posted on YouTube, Duration: 23:51 mins, URL: https://youtu.be/9GlhYkIboZk