John "Jack" Tannam
John "Jack" Tannam
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.
Thomas addresses wise men, good men, wild men, and grave, or serious, somber men all with the same message to pursue their passions even in the face of their mortality and impending death. The message is not to let your passions be compromised. However, we are subtly reminded throughout that their rage will be ineffectual in the face of death. It is one of his most popular and easily accessible poems, and implies that one shouldn't die without giving death a battle or fighting for your life
Another explanation is that Thomas watched his father, formerly in the Army, grow weak and frail with old age. Thus, he tries to convince his father not to give up to Death without a fight. To support this, he gives examples of wise men, good men, wild men, and grave, or serious, somber men etc.
Yet another explanation is that Dylan admits that death is unavoidable but he encourages all men to fight death, not for their own sake, but to give closure and hope to the kin that they are leaving behind. To support this, he gives examples of wise men, good men, wild men, and grave men because these are all descriptions of his father who was dying at this time this poem was written. Also, it has been historically stated that Dylan never showed this poem to his father, meaning that it was more for Dylan's own benefit than to convince his father to fight death.
- from Wikipedia
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