Dylan Marlais Thomas
27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953
Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems "Do not go gentle into
that good night" and "And death shall have no dominion"; the 'play for voices' Under
Milk Wood; and stories and radio broadcasts such as A Child's Christmas in Wales
and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog. He had acquired a reputation, which he
had encouraged, as a "roistering, drunken and doomed poet".
Thomas was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1914. He left school at 16 and
became a journalist for a short time. It was the publication in 1934 of "Light breaks
where no sun shines" that caught the attention of the literary world.
While living in London, Thomas met Caitlin Macnamara, whom he married in
1937. Their relationship was defined by alcoholism and was mutually destructive.
They settled in the Welsh fishing village of Laugharne.
Thomas came to be appreciated as a popular poet during his lifetime, though
he found earning a living as a writer difficult. He began augmenting his income with
reading tours and radio broadcasts.
His readings there brought him a degree of fame, while his erratic behaviour
and drinking worsened. He went on to record to vinyl such works as A Child's
Christmas in Wales. During his fourth trip to New York in 1953, Thomas became ill
and fell into a coma, from which he never recovered. He died on 9 November 1953.
His body was returned to Wales.
He is noted for his original, rhythmic and ingenious use of words and imagery.
His position as one of the great modern poets has been much discussed, and he
remains popular with the public.
And Death Shall Have No Dominion
And death shall have no dominion [1].
Dead man 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; (Alliteration)
And death shall have no dominion.
And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings [2] of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews [3] give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two, (Metaphor)
And the unicorn evils run them through; (Paradox)
Split all ends up they shan't [4] crack;
And death shall have no dominion.
And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls [5] 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.
[1]: Controls over a situati...
