National Poetry Day

Yesterday, 8th October, was the 21st National Poetry Day.  The theme this year was 'light' and everyone was encouraged to 'break the tyranny of prose' for the day by sharing poetry in imaginative ways. Forward Arts Foundation, in partnership with The Poetry Society, coordinated the celebrations and created a free anthology of poems about light, including this powerful poem by Dylan Thomas:


Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

(Dylan Thomas, 1914 - 1953)

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.

To find out more about poetry visit visit The Poetry Society website.