Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas

This is one of my favorite poems. Sometimes I think of the words, "Rage, rage against the dying of the light." It reminds me of having purpose, though life is tiring at times. Dylan Thomas poem "Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night" is a classic poem everyone should read. The imagery and message is motivating and brings about positive emotions while the onset of old age and death.

Taking place as man talks to his old and frail father, the father is giving up on life and regretting choices. The son wants him to make the most of his last days by offering examples of wise, good, wild and grave men finding the better parts of life through action or memory, "Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay." Though they could diminish their positions, they fight on, "Because their words had forked no lightning." Lamenting the Glory of God to their congregation and sharing peace in death, "Crying how bright their deeds might have danced in a green bay;" or dying suddenly at a young age, "And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way."

This poem relates to preparing for death, symbolized by "night" which is associated with "sleep," and "sleep" is a term for "death" in both Greek and Biblical passages. Despite this it encourages people, at any age, to feel purposeful and useful. Feeling necessary is what propels people forward. Death is inevitable. Having the young and old man in the portrayal heightens the message. Often the elderly have deteriorated bodies. Some may even pray for death; yet they manage to get up every day to ensure they didn't relinquish their time on earth.

For someone afraid of death; tired of living, or only focus on the struggle, life still means something. Though not seeing the purpose of their own life, they might see how they affect others. It may not be fame. Caring about people close to you is good enough. What you do is known to them and touches them powerfully? The individual life is important.

Maybe his father feels his purpose in life has lessened; however, his son recognizes his importance. He must plead with his father to stop sulking and dwelling on selfish causes and care again.

This poem has taught me that even though things seem impossible and dreams seem unreachable, never give up. Never go gentle in to the good night and do not regret any life experiences. Always struggle until the time has come to move on to the next world.

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Quirky Books
Selected Poems 1934-1952 by Dylan Thomas

This Bread I Break by Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas is one of the greatest poets that ever lived. His poems are steeped in religious ideals yet remain timeless. Living in the early Twentieth Century, he has more freedom in his views, compared to others published in this genre, and it is noticeable in "This Bread I Break."

This poem clearly relates to the sacrament used in many Christian based religions. The bread is referred to as being, "once an oat," an oat growing free in the fields only to be cut down and processed into flour to make the bread. This opens up a viewpoint against the church. In a way saying that Christ's life was pure, and then processed through religion.

Making reference to wine, "upon a foreign tree," alludes to Christ's birth in Jerusalem; indicating Christ was a Jew, yet Christian Churches spread Anti-Semitism. The tone of the poem is set in the lines, "Man in the day or wind at night laid the crops low, broke the grape's joy."

He uses aggressive language throughout the poem: plunged, broke, knocked, decked, pulled, break, desolation and snap. These words are combined with soft words, such as: summer, joy, sun and merry. This creates a sentiment of taking something fragile only to destroy it.

In the second stanza he refers to, "summer blood." Alone this may bring several images of summer, warmth, life and other images. The meaning behind "summer blood," becomes clear in the stanza. "Man broke the sun, pulled the wind down. It is Christ's blood, but more importantly holy and divine." The blood of Christ is holy in the summer, before the harvest.

In the last stanza Thomas condemns those who abuse the Savior's Sacrifice to create a path Heaven. Perhaps to say letting people believe they will be forgiven for their sins makes them sin more. "This flesh you break, this blood you let, make desolation in the vein."

In Revelations Jesus appears to John with swords gashed through his body, his eyes in pain and tortured, implying the sins of humanity was transferred to him. How is this sacrifice repaid? It is repaid with war, sin, judgment, hate and lies. The mounting torture worsens through time.

"Born of the sensual root and sap;" brings the focus back to the fact that Christ is also referred to as "Adam's Son." He is as human as everyone else. "This Bread I Break" insinuates Thomas regrets or rejects his baptismal. As if saying he would rather not be baptized if it displaces his sins onto Christ, placing responsibility back onto men, asking, "Just because you can get away with it, should you do it?"

Dylan Thomas is able to convey a large amount of information regarding many issues in churches. I also find the premise of God rewarding people who captured and tortured his son as lacks merit.

Quirky Books
Selected Poems 1934-1952 by Dylan Thomas