Thoughts of the Poet as a Drunk Man

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Be like me and have a drink or five and then at closing time have a fight

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

I know I get miffed when they call 'Time Please' and I get the check to pay

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

They prefer Guinness but whiskey is my delight

Because their words had forked no lightning they do not go gentle into that good night.

Which means they get arrested and stay until morning locked up tight.

So don't do as I do do as I say,
It's fine for me to drink and throw my life away,
But you old man, must listen and obey,
struggle and suffer to comfort me today.

I share a birthdate and birthplace with Dylan Thomas and looking at photos also a weight problem. Alas hearing about the guy all the time has not endeared him to me. His do not go gentle poem always struck me as tremendous cheek. I am constitutionally annoyed by anyone telling other people how to live their lives, or how they should behave when death comes. That doesn't mean I am saying they shouldn't do it though. That would make me that sort of person too. But I just wanted to poke a bit of gentle fun at the ego which considers itself so monumentally wise as to boss a dying person as to how they should behave in their last moments.