Do Go Gentle

Dylan Thomas wrote a poem 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night' in which he urged his dying father to fight to the end. While it is a lovely poem, I never agreed. This poem is for my father who is near death this week at 83 years of age.

Do go gentle into that night
For the night is of the scheme
The great scheme is divine
And will not be altered
But enacted line by line.

Do go gentle into that night
Against what is fact, why fight?
Be glad you laughed
Be glad you loved,
That you lived a life with light.

Do go gentle into that mute night
It is the Maker who holds the keys
To the great kingdom
And all its delights
He needs neither raves nor pleas.

(Extra Verse)

Dad, go gentle into that night
Even though you'll leave a void
For step by step
We tread close behind
Toward our own asteroid.