Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
This is the second refrain. The repetition of “rage” hits hard. It’s like Thomas is shouting — not just for himself, but for all of us. The “dying of the light” is clearly death, but using “light” makes it feel more poetic and emotional.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
This is the first of two refrains that repeat throughout the poem. It sets the tone right away — urgent, emotional, and defiant. I think Thomas is telling us not to just accept death passively. The fact that this line keeps coming back makes it feel more desperate every time.
When I die, bury me in the sky, I said, for now, it is quiet— no one owns it and no one is claiming to.
Device: Repetition & Symbolism
annotation: The repetition of the burial wish reinforces the speaker's desire to escape political and physical conflict. The sky symbolizes not just peace, but also anonymity
Soldiers are cocking new rifles at the checkpoint (from the sky I can hear them).
Device: shift in tone
annotation: The tone darkens here. Earlier lines are nostalgic, but now shift more to fear.
(from the sky I can taste them).
Device: sensory imagery
annotation: The poet uses vivid sensory language to bring readers into a deeply embodied memory—here, taste connects the speaker to cultural rituals
Children are playing soccer with empty bomb shells
Device: irony
annotation: This image is deeply ironic. Bomb shells—symbols of destruction—are transformed into toys in the hands of children. This reveals both the resilience and tragic normalization of violence in war zones
When I die, bury me in the sky— no one is fighting over it.
Device: metaphor
annotation: The "sky" is a metaphor for peace, freedom, and escape—an imagined space untouched by war, occupation, or politics. Unlike land, the sky is not divided or claimed.