Readings

I would like to share some thoughts on the readings this week as I feel we read so many poems and only get a small chance to discuss them in class. I was deeply affected by the poem by Dylan Thomas 'Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night'. He wrote it about his father when he was passing away. His father had gone blind, and Dylan Thomas was caught by surprise as his father had been such a strong, powerful man and figure in his life. I was affected by the context of the poem because I too dealt with a death of a family member who has had such a big impact on my life. It was my grandmother, who in my mind, was one of the hardest working, most inspiring, strongest women I have ever met. It was very difficult and almost shocking to see her so frail and weak before she passed away. Thomas shares this surprise in the poem, as well as a bit of denial that his father would die. He urges his father to fight death, like he has probably fought every other battle he had in life. However, death will come to everyone at one point, so telling one to fight it is not realistic. This poem is ironic because it is written in the French form of a villanelle, which is meant to be light and simple. However, Thomas uses this form and pairs it with the serious topic of death. The repetition at the end of each stanza gives even more significance and importance to what is being said. Although the language is simply put, this poem has a lot of significance, especially for people who have lost someone significant.