Poetry and Creative Writing for All

Dylan Thomas

By Sharon Spencer

Much raw talent has emerged over the years from the fabulous valleys and exquisite countryside of Wales. However, by far the greatest innovative intellect to have been generated by this inspirational country must be Dylan Thomas.

The prodigious poet was born in Swansea on the 27th October 1914, where he resided until he reached twenty. Although enjoying a contented childhood that he would nostalgically recall in adult life and refer to in his poetry, it was also a very conflicting one. His father David was a fanatical atheist with a lifelong antagonism against any form of religion. Always fulminating against God, his irate repudiation would frequently take the form of expletives against the Welsh climate. Adversely, Dylan’s mother was a devout Christian. Her beliefs were as narrow as they were rigidly resolute, and in absolute opposition to his father, she imparted to her son a love of God, albeit an immature love. This did not make for harmonious relations at home, but it might explain why Dylan and his work were so contradictory.

Dylan’s mother was an impressive woman, but his father made the strongest impact on his destiny. David was an English teacher employed at the local grammar school, who had a passion for English literature and most notably for William Shakespeare’s works. He would narrate Shakespeare from memory to his young son, who in turn grew up with a powerful appreciation of words and the poetic music they could be choreographed to form.

Despite leaving school at sixteen, excelling only in English, Dylan was to become one of the most prominent and influential poets of the twentieth century. Always an avid and enthusiastic reader, he especially admired the poetry of William Blake and George Herbert, so much so that he based his poetic style on that of the early 19th century Romantics. 

Using their typically precise techniques, he worked scrupulously at his craft until he emulated their form perfectly.

Dylan found employment for a brief period as a journalist on the South Wales Evening Post, and he very nearly settled for a career in journalism. Thankfully the poet within couldn’t be denied and shortly after his first poem And Death Shall Have No Dominion was published in 1933 he began to visit London on a regular basis.
Having once described London as the ‘front line’, because no one ever came back, it was surprising that he should leave his beloved Wales and move there in 1934.

Poetry was not Dylan’s only passion. He could drink with the best of them, and was quite often found in pubs the length and breadth of Swansea when he lived there. However it wasn’t until he moved to London that this relatively harmless pastime became an all encompassing vocation. Spending his time entertaining the locals with his good humoured teasing and drunken behaviour became a common occurrence. It was during one of these sessions that he met the woman who was to be his wife - Caitlin McNamara. She proved to be a tempestuous counterpart, and more than a match for Dylan.

Their relationship was severely tested by the alcohol-fuelled partying lifestyle they both revelled in with such wholehearted devotion. Dylan’s promiscuity and their poor financial position were not the ingredients required for a long and happy marriage. Even so they stayed together and had three children; Llewellyn, Aeronwy and Colm.

Shortly after their marriage the couple returned to Wales because life in London had become much too frenzied, and Dylan maintained that he could only write in Wales. They settled in Laugharne, a small village which provided the necessary stimulation to inspire Dylan’s play Under Milk Wood. Whilst he was writing this hugely successful play Dylan exercised his devilish sense of humour by calling the fictional village ‘Llareggub’ - you will notice that it spells ‘bugger all’ backwards!

It was then that Dylan’s world fell apart. The death of his father in 1952 traumatised him immensely. During this distressing period he penned Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight as a moving tribute.

Dylan was reluctant to do a lecturing tour of America, but insufficiency of ready cash forced his hand. Had he known that these lectures would bring him worldwide acclaim he may not have been so hesitant. The Americans adored him; his passionate renditions, ostentatious theatrics and partiality for liquor captivated their imaginations. He attained celebrity status, and did much to promote poetry recitals all over the world.

Dylan Thomas died from alcoholism on the 9th November 1953 in St Vincent’s Hospital, New York City. Even in death his sense of humour came to the fore, ‘I have just had 18 double whiskeys in a row, I do believe that’s a record’ were the last words he is said to have quoted before he passed away.

Dylan’s’ appeal has not diminished in the 50 years since his untimely death. The last of the Romantic poets, he was a Welshman who spoke no Welsh, a man full of contradictions, cherished worldwide for his soul-stirring versifications. Generations have, and will come to admire the creative genius that lived life to the fullest, savouring every delicious moment right to the very end. A legend in his own lifetime, a force to be reckoned with.

This article was taken from an issue of Poetry Now Magazine. 

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