And Death Shall Have No Dominon

Recently, I was visited by Thanatos. He left and took back with him some very near and dear ones to me. Those whom I have loved and learned to accept as part of a family I never had growing up.

     I have before this time loved and lost. I found a strange kind of solace in Dylan Thomas. Tonight, I was reading through one of his more famous pieces of work and my most favorite.

     “And Death Shall Have No Dominion” The first time I came upon this piece I was in college and had lost my parents, both to terminal illness. This piece struck a chord with me then. It has been a something I have turned back to in a time when I am in need of reminding death is not truly an ending.

     I lost a really good friend. He was a person who did a lot of good in this world and made a lot of people happy. But he was ill.

     During his illness, none of his happiness was truly returned. For that, he suffered. Friend visited him, he had a few family members who truly cared, but my friend was in utter, dark misery. I have some I truly blame for his last days, days that should have been more comfortable and pain free.

     I take comfort in knowing now that he is no longer in pain. It breaks my heart he will not be able to spread his joy on this physical plane. I know in my heart, his way will not stop. He may have been a drop in the bucket of this world, but it made some interesting ripples.

     Please read the poem and take with you from it something that will comfort you.

And Death Shall Have No Dominion

By Dylan Thomas

And death shall have no dominion.

Dead men naked they shall be one

With the man in the wind and the west moon;

When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,

They shall have stars at elbow and foot;

Though they go mad they shall be sane

Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;

Though lovers be lost love shall not;

And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.

Under the windings of the sea

They lying long shall not die windily;

Twisting on racks when sinews give way,

Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;

Faith in their hands shall snap in two,

And the unicorn evils run them through;

Split all ends up they shan’t crack;

And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.

No more may gulls cry at their ears

Or waves break loud on the seashores;

Where blew a flower may a flower no more

Lift its head to the blows of the rain;

Though they be mad and dead as nails,

Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;

Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,

And death shall have no dominion.