For M.

Roll the drums, and crash the waves, beat the time

And listen. Dirge the dance and teach my heart

its rhythm. Sing on, song and flute and rhyme,

Bring out your light, and flaunt your garish art!

Moon ring round the earth; earth around the sun,

You stars give rise and fall; All earthly things

With sightless eyes and wordless tongue

Go on about your seasons, sharing drinks

And cocktails with the splendour of the day.

Shine, you brash sun, on waters ever blue,

Bloom, you gaudy flow’rs; let your clock delay--

Be drunk on sunlit rainbows; dance upon the dew.

                   While you drink, dance, sing, I will hold the night;

                   Whisper I love you, sleep well, and goodnight.

Do Not Go Gentle

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Young tots should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though two-year-olds at the end know dark is night,
Because their words had forked some lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good boys, the last hug by, crying how bright
Their frail paints might have danced if they’d had fivemoreminutes,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild kids who caught and sang the ceiling fan in flight,
And learn, too late, they trapped themselves this way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave girls, after bath, who see with blinding sight
Bath-time was a cruel trick to end the day

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there from that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now, but my fierce tears will stay.
I will not go gentle into that good night.
I will rage against the dying of the light.