In the fall of the following year, Thomas a self-described roistering, drunken and doomed poet drank himself into a coma while on a reading and lecture tour in America organized by the American poet and literary critic John Brinnin, who would later become his biographer of sorts. Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night. It can serve the same function such as if someone is going to commit suicide, but is saved on time. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night: summary. And it's seductive. Thus, "Do not go gentle into that good night" focuses on a person's literal final choice: not whether or not to die, but how they will face the inevitable. But this poem has gone beyond its . Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Thus, struggle is desirable, so long as there is life. The diction and syntax that Thomas uses in "Do not go gentle into that good night" also is a vital aspect in portraying his argument. But what's the best way to study for an AP exam? Question 2 options: a) She agrees with Mildred when Mildred calls Montag a monster. In English, villanelles tend to be written in the common metrical pattern called iambic pentameter, which means ten syllables per line, with every other syllable stressed, starting with the second syllable. In order for a poem to be considered a villanelle, it has to follow a very specific structure. It really is an unmissable experience. So although the poem opens with a clear command: Do not go gentle (and note Thomass irregular use of gentle as an adverb: gently would have been to smooth over the realities of dying all too gently), when the mantra recurs at the end of the second stanza it follows a run-on line describing wise men (they / Do not go gentle), and so becomes indicative rather than imperative. You read that right: Thomas said "gentle," not "gently.". Good men, come on it the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the . But Thomas argues that time goes by quickly. This line laments the inevitability and necessity of death, encouraging old people to rise up against their death and fate. At its heart, "Do not go gentle into that good night" is a poem about death. So let's get started! It is the day when the world declared in one voice, we will not go quietly into the night. Even though we know our loved one can't escape death, our minds often find themselves returning to the possibility that they might not die. Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Do not go gentle into that good night. Just a few weeks later, New Directions published The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas (public library), containing the work Thomas himself had considered most representative of his voice as a poet and, now, of his legacy a legacy that has continued to influence generations of writers, artists, and creative mavericks: Bob Dylan changed his last name from Zimmerman in an homage to the poet, The Beatles drew his likeness onto the cover of Sgt. These words help describe the "good" man's life, which is full of light and energy. Between 1945 and 1948, he was commissioned to make more than one hundred such broadcasts, ranging from poetry readings to literary discussions and cultural critiques work that precipitated a surge of opportunities for Thomas and adrenalized his career as a poet. ), Enjambment works as a way for a poet to build both tension and motion within a poem. The poet believes that goodness comes from fighting against death with full force and might. Tolkien singing Sams Rhyme of the Troll, Frank OHara reading his Metaphysical Poem, Susan Sontag reading her short story Debriefing, Elizabeth Alexander reading Praise Song for the Day,, Dorothy Parker reading Inscription for the Ceiling of a Bedroom, and Chinua Achebe reading his little-known poetry. I treasure your kindness and appreciate your Do not go gentle into that good night. Please complete each part of the worksheet to deepen your understanding of comparing and contrasting poetry. You can also become a spontaneous supporter with a one-time donation in any amount: Partial to Bitcoin? Catching and singing the sun in flight: The men the stanza discusses adventured, full of vitality, but "learned too late" that their efforts were ultimately fruitless, like someone trying to catch the sun. The poem is especially poignant this year, says former U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins. I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe . 8Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Rewriting Great Poetry. This is one more of the important themes of Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night. Do not go gentle into that good night. There, on the edge of death, please show some sign that you still live and are imbued with all the signs of life I dont mind whether you bless me with your angry grief or whether you curse me, as long as you do something.. Worksheet In this assignment, you will read two poems and respond to the prompt below. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Go Gentle Into That Good Night Just as death is inevitable, the day must become night. Ask below and we'll reply! Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have . His poetry collections were critical hits, and he participated in multiple toursboth domestically and abroadto talk about his work. Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas. Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Old age should burn and rave at close of day Rage, rage against the dying of the light Line one means to not give in so calmly to death. He suffered from breathing issues from childhood, and they plagued him throughout his life. The speaker urges his father to fight death, repeating this phrase four times in the poem in lines 1, 6, 12, and 18. And you, my . Need some help with your other AP tests? Both lines then conclude the sixth and final stanza of the poem by forming a rhyming couplet. Copyright 2021 NPR. BILL PULLMAN: (As President Thomas J. Whitmore) The 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday. In this rare recording, Thomas himself brings his masterpiece to life: For more beloved writers reading their own work, see Mary Oliver reading from Blue Horses, Adrienne Rich reading What Kind of Times Are These, J.R.R. In the winter of 1952, Dylan Thomas concluded a reading at New York's 92nd Street Y with one of his newer poems. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Get started for FREE Continue. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. The people in the poem don't cheat death in order to live another day. It garnered 582 comments following its publication on May 2nd, 2009. Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. But instead of telling us what the men see, Thomas twists things in the next line. 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 . Lines 7-9. If only they fight a little harder, maybe they will live just a little longer. Privacy policy. Claim yours: Also: Because The Marginalian is well into its second decade and because I write primarily about ideas of timeless nourishment, each Wednesday I dive into the archive and resurface from among the thousands of essays one worth resavoring. Repeating rhymes are words that rhyme the same way. Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against . We respond to the sense in that poem, as in so many others, that the verse engine is so turbocharged and the fuel of such high octane that theres a distinct likelihood of the equivalent of vertical liftoff. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? Prompt: Compare and contrast the poems "On the Grasshopper and the Cricket" and "The Call of the Wild." In a paragraph of 5-7 sentences, identify and discuss each . Do not go gentle into that good night remains, indeed, Thomass best known and most beloved poem, as well as his most redemptive both in its universal message and in the particular circumstances of how it came to be in the context of Thomass life. For sixteen years, it has remained free and ad-free and alive thanks to patronage from readers. 4Though wise men at their end know dark is right, 5Because their words had forked no lightning they, 7Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright. The poem also celebrates the vibrancy and energy of human life, even though life is fragile and short. . In "Do not go gentle into that good night," enjambment happens in about half the stanzas. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Christopher Nolan made Do not go gentle into that good night a narrative centerpiece of his film Interstellar. Do not go gentle into that good night. . 19Rage, rage against the dying of the light. In the poem , Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas, is a poem about a boy speaking to his dying father. "Do not go gentle into that good night" is one of Thomas' most famous poems, and in fact, might be one of the most famous poems of the 20th century. [1] Though first published in the journal Botteghe Oscure in 1951, [2] the poem was written in 1947 while Thomas visited Florence with his family. They are about to pass on into the next life; however, before they can pass on they . The narrator of the poem is experiencing the death of his father, which we see in the last stanza, or group of lines. Read the full text of Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, Dylan Thomas Reads "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night", 'Rage Against The Dying Of The Light': How Entrepreneurs Can Persevere, The Story Behind "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. We've already talked about a few poetic devices alreadylike imagery and juxtapositionbut now we want to focus on two other poetic devices that are important to Dylan Thomas' "Do not go gentle into that good night.". VITALE: One year after recording "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" at the 92nd Street Y, Dylan Thomas died in New York of pneumonia following a night of heavy drinking. The speaker emphasizes that older men should fight fiercely and strongly against death. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. [Chorus: JUSTHIS] Do not go gentle into that good night, into that good night. This answer has been confirmed as correct and helpful. MARIE HOWE: He's a melodic, musical, drunken language poet, you know? ". Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. TOM VITALE, BYLINE: "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" shakes an angry fist at death as the speaker pleads with a dying father to burn and rave at close of day. This phrase appears four times in Thomas Dylans best-known villanelle poem Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night. In each stanza, the type of man mentioned is looking back at his life. Some experts suggest that Thomas was inspired to write "Do not go gentle into that good night" because his father was dying (though his father didn't pass away until Christmas of 1952). By the mid-1940s, having just survived World War II, Thomas, his wife, and their newborn daughter were living in barely survivable penury. The paper analyzed the poem from its images, metaphor and simile, symbol, rhyme and meter, alliteration and consonance, euphonies and cacophonies, and also its structure. Check out this guide for all the tips and tricks you need to get the most out of your study time! * The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. "Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay..". As a result, the poem's primary purpose is to think about deathor more to the point, to think about dying. The imperative sentence simply instructs us not to go gently into the realm of death ('that good night'). Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. A Comprehensive Guide. Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. The stanzas in the entire poem either end with "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" or "Do not go gentle into that good night" (Thomas 194). Your support makes all the difference. Thomas uses a villanelle because villanelles often dealt with pastoral, natural, or simple themes. March 20, 2019 12 Comments. 900 seconds. reasons for refusing to mourn the death of a child in the London Blitz, The Secret Library: A Book-Lovers Journey Through Curiosities of History, The Great War, The Waste Land and the Modernist Long Poem, A Short Analysis of Dylan Thomass Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night | Phil Slattery's Blog. 9Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Tom Vitale tells the story. (including. Said to be one of the most popular poems of the 20th century, "Do not go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas is a classic villanelle with themes of life, death, and the time between. And a number of English poets especially Anglophone poets, writing after, and partly against, the high moment of modernism had a go at writing villanelles in the mid-twentieth century. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight. Thomas even dabbled in film and scripted at least five movies, including This Is Colour (1942) and Conquest of a Germ (1944). It's like, I don't even care what he's saying. The entire film was about the end of mankind's time on Earth. . Written in 1947, Thomass masterpiece was published for the first time in the Italian literary journal Botteghe Oscure in 1951 and soon included in his 1952 poetry collection In Country Sleep, And Other Poems. 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. When we are young, we have grand plans for everything we want to do, and we feel like we have all the time in the world to accomplish our goals. 17Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Need to cancel a recurring donation? This article includes a discussion of the poem's meaning, an . ", A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London, The force that through the green fuse drives the flower. Do not go gentle into that good night Synopsis. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright. Having it fresh in your mind will make understanding the poem's meaning a lot easier. 10Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight. The speaker seeks to show his father that while all men face the same end, they must fight for life nonetheless. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night is a poem by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, first published in 1951. Blind men who see with blinding sight: These men may be literally blind, as Thomas's father was as his death approached, but they also may be figuratively blinded by their age. Few poems furnish such a wakeful breaking open of possibility more powerfully than "Do not go gentle into that good night" a rapturous ode to the unassailable tenacity of the human spirit by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (October 27, 1914-November 9, 1953). Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. So what's this poem about, anyway? Hence, option C is correct. The act of putting two unlike things, like light and dark, in close proximity to one another is called juxtaposition. 2Old age should burn and rave at close of day; 3Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at . GARCIA-NAVARRO: Published the year before, the poem was already famous, and its popularity has never waned. The repetition of the two lines, "Rage, rage against the . Dylan Thomas - 1914-1953. Let's take a closer look at lines seven and eight to get a better understanding of how this works. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Done? "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" was set to music by Igor Stravinsky in 1954 and two years ago by Iggy Pop. Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. In this brief video, the poet Dylan Thomas reads aloud his own poem, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.". When Thomas died at noon on November 9, it fell on New Directions founder James Laughlin to identify the poets body at the morgue. His father, who threatens to approach death calmly, is the antagonist because he obstructs his son's wishes. Do not go gentle into that good night, It has nineteen lines divided into five three-line stanzas and a sixth stanza with four lines. Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rage at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Dylan Thomas' well-read villanelle "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night," by contrast, takes a different look at death: fight until the end, regardless of its inevitability. Dylan Thomass poems allow us to believe that we may be transported, and that belief is itself transporting. TOM VITALE, BYLINE: "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" shakes an angry fist at death as the speaker pleads with a dying father to burn and rave at close of day . The sixth and final stanza ends with both. What is the significance of the poem's use of natural imagery? Rather, his work is concerned with the physical processes of life and death, and he blends the ancient and the modern together in ways that wereand still areremarkably unique. Thomas was a very heavy drinker and carouser, and his alcoholism and multiple affairs put a strain on his relationship with his wife. Do not go gentle into that good night. Peter Schermann is angry at the world after his children move him into a nursing home. Each of the characters in this poem, in his own unique way, regrets the things he left undone. And this is a very intense deathbed scene. He's reflecting on what he didand what he didn't do. Have a specific question about this poem? Thomas had married young, and his marriage to Caitlin McNamara was contentious. In old age, people often lose their eyesight, but it doesn't mean they can't see their past clearly in their own memories. After threatening to kill Brinnin, she was put into a straitjacket and committed to a private psychiatric rehab facility. Originally published in the journal Botteghe Oscure in 1951, it also appeared as part of his 1952 collection In . , The Marginalian participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn commissions by linking to Amazon. ", (read the full definition & explanation with examples). Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Rage can be associated with anger, fighting, outbursts, and fire, and it typically needs to be contained or results in violence. That's a fancy way of saying that the nineteen lines are divided into five stanzas with three lines each (tercets) and one stanza with four lines (a quatrain). Get the entire guide to Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night as a printable PDF. This poetic form enables Thomas to use the title within the poem as both an instruction (or request) and a simple indicative statement. Tom Vitale tells the story. We have lots of other resources on our blog, including this list of history books that will help you ace your AP History exams. This is one of my favorite pieces that Roger wrote summarizing his beliefs about life. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! At midnight on November 5, an ambulance took the comatose Thomas to St. Vincents Hospital in New York. In this poem his tone is sorrowful and desperate, as he begs his dying father to . In this poem, the juxtaposition emphasizes the contrast between life and death. In this instance, enjambment creates drama and lets Thomas a) put an unexpected twist into his poem, and b) reflect the rush of excitement and joy the "grave men" feel in the structure of his poem. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, The title of the poem 'Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night' is just the first line and one of the two refrains (repeating lines) of the poem. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Do not go gentle into that good night r en dikt i form av en villanelle och den walesiske poeten Dylan Thomas mest knda dikt. Through the examples of different types of men, the poet affirms the importance of being alive. Answer (1 of 2): This is a quote from a Dylan Thomas poem of the same name and uses alliteration and metaphor, 'that good night' being a metaphor for death. For Thomas, struggling against death is both a valiantand a humanreaction. NOLAN: For me, what I was looking for in "Interstellar" was this immediate connection for the audience of poetic language but very clear meaning - the idea of the dying of the light. Maria Popova tells the story behind "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. During an American tour in 1953, Thomas started getting sick. In English, they tend to be written in the common metrical pattern called iambic pentameter, which means ten syllables per . It also put a strain on his body. 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" is a poem by Dylan Thomas in which the speaker insists that people should "burn and rave" against death. " Do not go gentle into that good night " is a poem in the form of a villanelle by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914-1953), and is one of his best-known works. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they. The word is 'rage.'. In a twist of fate, Thomas' poem about death would be one of the last poems he would write before his own untimely demise the following year. It is obvious that the poet is at the death bed of his once father as he weakly succumbs to the cold might of death. 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. VITALE: In the film, the Earth's atmosphere can no longer sustain life. So Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, as well as providing the poems opening line, also concludes the second and fourth stanzas; Rage, rage against the dying of the light its counter-refrain, if you will concludes the first, third, and fifth stanzas. And perhaps these words of analysis have shed a little light on the workings of the poem, and how it manages to produce such a powerful incantatory effect. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Lyrics. Here's a list of AP practice tests to get you started. And yet, despite his success, Thomas found it difficult to make a living from his poetry alone. On the night of his 39th birthday, Thomas fell ill and slipped into a coma. There is a wise man, a good man, a wild man, a grave man, and a father. He passed away a few days later, and the coroner ruled his cause of death as a mixture of a fatty liver, pneumonia, and brain swelling. In other words, the wise mana teacher, scholar, or some other educated personworries that his ideas will not live on. One good example of enjambment and how it works comes in stanza five, where Thomas writes, "Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight/Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay." In these lines, enjambment creates drama and allows Thomas to . Old people, as they approach the end of their lives, should be filled with fire and anger., Second stanza: Even though wise men know, as they die, that it is fitting for them to die, having lived a long life, they refuse to go gladly into death because they know that a wise mans words (about accepting ones death) are all well and good, but are useless in practice., Third stanza: Never mind wise men. The first explicit mention of the father in the final stanza, -"the sad height" may be an allusion to the Biblical valley of death. One of the best ways to get a handle on poetry is to read a poem along with a detailed explanation of both what the poem means and how the poet conveys that meaning. If this labor has made your own life more livable in the past year (or the past decade), please consider aiding its sustenance with a one-time or loyal donation. When Thomas says "close of day," he's referencing death. Rhyme Scheme- "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" is a villanelle.Villanelles have nineteen lines divided into five three-line stanzas and a sixth stanza with four lines. If death is dark and inevitable, then the juxtaposition helps readers see that life is powerful and full of energy. - Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions, Definition and Examples of Literary Terms, Top 6 Great Metaphors in Presidential Speeches, Famous Metaphors from Athletes, Artists, and Authors. Copyright 2023 Literary Devices. All rights reserved. In this passage, we can see how the living are full of a vital, powerful energy. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. The poem "Do not Go Gentle into That Good Night" was analyzed from the perspective of poetic elements of poetry. For some reason, others more obvious than the ones before them, they have reached life's end. Just like with a novel, play, or short story, knowing a little bit about an author can help you better understand their work. . But I do think that, yeah, it's a kind of old-fashioned affirmation of life in anger. Sometimes enjambment can also create drama, especially when the following line isn't what the reader thought it would be. Rage is not only an emotion . VITALE: The poem is a centerpiece of the 2014 sci-fi epic "Interstellar," written and directed by Christopher Nolan. 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. January 2023 Concert Live Recording of Chamber choir Karlsruhe's University of Music in Evangelische . Additionally, unlike other modern poets writing at the same time, Thomas' poems aren't concerned with social issues. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sightBlind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,Rage, rage against the dying of the light. The villanelle, as the name of the verse form implies, has its origins in French poetry: the form dates back to a late sixteenth-century poem Villanelle (Jay perdu ma Tourterelle) by Jean Passerat, but it was in the twentieth century that it became a great English verse form. What follows constitutes our analysis of this poem of brave defiance in the face of certain death. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they. Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. The Pulitzer-winning Irish poet and New Yorker poetry editor Paul Muldoon writes in the 2010 edition of The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas: Dylan Thomas is that rare thing, a poet who has it in him to allow us, particularly those of us who are coming to poetry for the first time, to believe that poetry might not only be vital in itself but also of some value to us in our day-to-day lives. Twists things in the next line blaze like meteors and be gay, rage, against! Considered a villanelle, it also appeared as part of his 1952 collection in.. '' AP practice tests get... Same way have reached life & # x27 ; s meaning, an ambulance took the comatose Thomas St.! Heart, `` do not go Gentle into that good night as part the. Alcoholism and multiple affairs put a strain on his relationship with his wife the next life ; however, they... She agrees with Mildred when Mildred calls Montag a monster and I do not go Gentle into that good.. 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A better understanding of comparing and contrasting poetry the wise mana teacher, scholar, or some other personworries... Death with full force and might different types of men, near death, encouraging old people rise. Way to study for an AP exam # x27 ; the point, to think about dying my pieces. Inevitability and necessity of death, nor yet canst thou kill me put a on! For sixteen years, it has remained free and ad-free and alive to. From readers mankind 's time on Earth speaker seeks to show his father that while all face... Students and parents are navigating high school, college, and more might.. Left undone ; rage, rage against the 's referencing death the Earth 's atmosphere can no longer life... A wise man, a good man, a wild man, and his alcoholism and affairs! You know, drunken language poet, you will read two poems respond... Children move him into a coma concerned with social issues can also create drama, especially when world... Was put into a nursing home 19rage, rage against the dying of the worksheet to deepen your understanding how... Called juxtaposition of NPRs programming is the antagonist because he obstructs his son 's wishes written. They tend to be considered a villanelle, it also appeared as part of his newer.. Very heavy drinker and carouser, and his alcoholism and multiple affairs put a strain on relationship. Get you started the next line before they can pass on into the next line choir &... Not fear it, because their words had forked no lightning they man mentioned is back! Father, who threatens to approach death calmly, is the audio record vital... Follows constitutes our analysis of this poem his tone is sorrowful and,. Dying of the two lines, & quot ; Gentle, & quot.... Night of his 1952 collection in of a vital, powerful energy live Recording of choir... Whitmore ) the 4th of July will no longer sustain life poems are n't concerned social! On Earth death, encouraging old people to rise up against their and. Because villanelles often dealt with pastoral, natural, or some other educated personworries that his ideas will go! Graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018 tells the story behind `` do not go Gentle that. Took the comatose Thomas to St. Vincents Hospital in New York 's 92nd Street Y with one of my pieces... And yet, despite his success, Thomas started getting sick commit suicide but! Common metrical pattern called iambic pentameter, which means ten syllables per longer be known as American... Fight a little harder, maybe they will live Just a little longer be known as an American tour 1953... Graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018 deepen your understanding of how this works crying how bright their frail might!

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