Rage Against The Dying Of The Light
Hopefully, you'll allow me just one more post about that monologue from The Blacklist. The final line Dembe says is actually a reference to a poem by Dylan Thomas titled "Do not go gentle into that good night."
The poem was originally published in 1951, but Thomas wrote it in 1947 while in Florence with his family. I've still been mulling over that monologue and have since added the poem to my stream of thoughts. I've always shied away from poetry. I spent one too many semesters analyzing poems, which just put a bad taste in my mouth regarding the structure.
And honestly, I don't like to work that hard with what I am reading so I much prefer straightforward messages over fractured metaphors, which I often come across in poetry. But I am starting to appreciate their beauty more the further away I get from school. So, I wanted to share the poem with you today:
"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."
Now, I won't pretend I understand what that means. But Dembe's monologue does give me more clarity. He later says, "Imagine Raymond, a man surrounded by death in so many ways, so passionately committed to embracing life. He could have surrendered 1000 times over some end, but instead, he chooses to rage. To rage against the dying of the light. To rage against the bad guys that would do us all harm. Rage to protect those people he loves. To find moments of peace, and joy, and fun even though he knows the light is still dying. To live the most passionate life knowing it will still lead to the same inevitable end is perhaps the most deeply moving choice one can make...[omitted for some spoilers] It was about the adventure, about life, about Raymond constantly reminding us, showing us, imploring us to rage.
I know the word rage had very negative connotations. When I hear it, my first impulse is often to think of violent, uncontrollable anger. But there are other definitions, such as "to enjoy oneself at a party," "spread very rapidly or uncontrollably," or "continue with great force or intensity." My personal favorite, though, is "intense feeling, especially prophetic, poetic, or martial enthusiasm or ardor."
Rage is about anger, but it is equally about the highest levels of enthusiasm and love. We all know that our lives will one day end. Some of us are more aware of that fact than others. Some of us are certainly more prepared for it than others. But no matter our age, race, or creed, death will one day come for us all. The light we see will die, and we will move on to whatever that next thing is.
My husband and I are watching our grandparents get older and start to slow down. Health and mobility issues are beginning to crop up. It's hard to watch the people we love struggle. It's hard to think about a day when they won't be a phone call or a short drive away. But we are also watching them rage against the dying of the light. They are making bigger commitments to travel and be with family. They are showing up in every way they can. They are getting the most out of life, no matter how long they have left, because there is still more marrow to suck out of that bone (as my dad would say).
The fact that death is inevitable should be our encouragement to rage. We can sit quietly and wait, or we can fight to get the most out of our lives. We can fight to see and embrace beauty. We can fight to protect and care for the ones we love so deeply. We can fight to make our dreams come true. We can fight like hell now so that we can experience the most. Have some urgency because the light is dying.
I hope you are choosing to rage. I hope you are choosing to accept nothing less than what you fully deserve. I hope you are feeling the breadth of everything because there is so much beauty in this world to behold. Chasing our dreams is an act of raging against the dying of the light. We have to rage against military life if we hope to get to the other side with joy in our hearts. Raging is where we find ourselves thriving in this world. Let's rage together to make our dreams come true.