Dylan Thomas(1914-1953)
英國詩人湯瑪士出生於Wales,1934年當他二十歲時出版了他的第一本詩集 Eighteen Forms,在同一年也搬到了倫敦,從此開始了他成功卻起伏不定的生涯,期間也出版過詩集、短篇故事、劇本等。在他人生的最後幾年,他以巡迴演講、朗讀詩集來維持個人生活,然而,嚴重且長期的酗酒問題卻導致他最終死於紐約。他於1952年出版了Collected Poems(1934-1952)是他短暫的一生中出版的最後一本書;至於他的喜劇小說Adventures in the Skin Trade卻永遠沒有完成。
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night
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.
◎單字註解
rave v. 咆哮
frail adj. 身體虛弱的
grieve v. 悲傷
blaze v. 燃燒
meteor n. 流星
fierce adj. 強烈的;激烈的