The Villanelle

Frankly, I think this type of poem is just strange. In contrast to many other modern poets using free verse, authors who use the villanelle seem a little too crazy about form/rhyme for me. Anyway, on to the actual evaluation. I think "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas really exemplifies the intended usage of the villanelle. 

"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas

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.

    From the introduction, I gathered that villanelles have an intense rhyme scheme typically with meter. In this poem, the author uses iambic pentameter, an example of which I have bolded above for your viewing pleasure. Because of their intricate rhyme scheme, villanelles have refrains. In this poem, the first and third lines are the refrain. The first line is repeated at the end in the second and fourth stanzas while it is also repeated in the second-to-last line of the final stanza. The third line of the first stanza is repeated at the end of the third, fifth, and sixth stanzas. Moreover, Thomas follows the traditional rhyme scheme of the villanelle ensuring stanzas 1-5 are in ABA while the final stanza is the exception. Anyway, Thomas really impressed me with the emotion of this poem about the power of death considering he used, in my opinion, a constricting form that limited his options.