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Poet: Dylan Thomas
Poem: In My Craft Or Sullen Art
Volume: Deaths and Entrances
Year: Published/Written in 1946
Poem of the Day on:
Oct 29 2004
Comment 3 of 3, added on May 1st, 2006 at 9:39 PM.
I believe the last comment misunderstands the poem completely. Some tips to a more in depth read:
The poem consists of two stanzas, one with 11 lines and the other with 9 (mistakenly, the comment below identifies it with only 8 lines). And there IS a rhyme scheme, the first stanza has three parts: [abcd][ebd][ecca]. The second is: [abcd][f][ecca]. You will notice the first and third sections of each stanza match exactly. It is the middle portion which is different.
Allow me to mention some key words of particular thematic imagery (make of them what you will, I won't give it all away here...):
-craft, trade, raging, [spin]drift, [nightin]gales
-singing, stages, nightingales, psalms, praise
-bread, labour, wages, pay
This poem is NOT about an author who is hostile to government or to the church. This is about writing; what it means to be a poet. It is about writing without commission and writing not for praise but because writing IS its own worth.
The poem is also a commentary on war. It is about the "towering dead" and Florence Nightingale, about older poetry that used to be all odes and psalms and "Hymns to the Aton." It is a new era of grief, where lovers hold each other and are alive in their grief. It is how words could never touch this grief, and how it is for this extreme feeling that the poet must write. It is a poem that is above "worth," it cannot be traded for "ivory."
RAB from United States
Comment 2 of 3, added on January 20th, 2006 at 5:27 AM.
This poem is written in the form of a ballad.Dylan reveals more about himself and how he feels he best serves humanity.His thoughts and passions,what makes him tick. In reading this poem i can understand him more.He feels trapped in a society which cares very little about the people who keep it going.
In this poem he breaks down his day or night as it is in the night that he starts work on his poetry.
LINE 3 'When only the moon rages ' this reveals a strong tone and metaphor it is as if he thinks himself to be a part of the force of nature.He writes with regularity as if he has found his niche in life.By mentioning the moon and by reading and analysing many of his other poems he does link himself strongly to NATURE possibly he sees the Moon as his co-worker it probably inspires him the way it shines each night in the sky as he works on his poems.
During the night Dylan composes poetry not because it is a goal or because it earns him an income or for the attention of becoming famous ,but for the sheer passion and desire he has for poetry.
LINE 10' for the common wages
LINE 11' of theiR most secRet heaRt .
cosonnance is used here the letter sounding 'R' is used 3 times in the same stanza.
In LINE 6 he reveals how he see's himself making his contribution to society
LINE 6 'i labour by singing light'
Tone is used here in his personal thoughts and feelings .As this is what inspires him and makes him tick.
THE SECOND VERSE starts by Dylan revealing that he is not bothered to care about what other poeple think of him as he does not write to appease people.He writes with passion and intensity ,he seeks out inspiration from the lives of every-day people,whom he may know.
He does does not write to appease powerful people in high places ie members of government or the church ,see line 15 and 16
LINE 15'nor for the towering dead'
LINE 16'with their nightingales and psalm'
The tone used here suggests that he is hostile to the government for it's policies at the time and the church probably for its hypocrisy.
In line 16 he uses fine imagery to mock them 'their singing birds and church going nature.He reveals his caring side and romantic nature.
LINE 17'bu'T' for 'T'he lovers,'T'heir arms
LINE 18'round the grief of the ages.
Cossonannce is used here repeated use of the letter sounding 'T' in line 17.In these lines a lot of tone is used almost as if he is making a statement.
Metaphor is used 'grief of the ages' indicates the phases and problems people must go through in their lifecycle.Dylan writes for the every day people who have hopes ,dreams and aspirations along with the trouble and strife iof everyday conformity to soceites niceties and rituals.People who have no contact with him who don't even read or hear his poetry.
He devotes himself to writng of such kinds of people that he sees trapped within societies conformist beliefs much lke himself.It is why he is seeking out other non-conformists people who stood-out in either making a stand against society -his father- or people who made a contribution in ANN JONES .
What he is indicating here is his standing up for his beliefs and rights,that is why he wrote this poem for the intended audience of the reader.THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE POEM.
The poem is written in two stanza's -verse- one is of 11 lines, the 2nd of 8 lines.There is no ryhmescheme what-so-ever but some half rhyme.This entire poem has been written in blank verse and is form enacting content, meaning it to be simple and self explanatory.
Stanza 1 is A,B,C,D,E,B,F,E,C,C,A.
Stanza2 is A,B,C,F,E,E,C,C,A.
jagatdeep minhas from United Kingdom
Comment 1 of 3, added on January 11th, 2005 at 3:35 AM.
This poem raises a subject, which most every poet or writer of any genre has considered: who is bound to read my words, and more importantly, who am I writing them about and for?
The sad truth, which Thomas so aptly captured through a syntax more romantically removed than anything so lovely, is that those whom we often write about, with the luck and affectionate grace to find another and graze with them so fervently, shall never read our works, nor ever appreciate them as much as they were meant to do if ever perused by chance. We ourselves who write of it recognise the inherent otherworldly importance capturing such a transient or permanent fixture it represents within all of the possibilities of feeling. This poem is driven by feeling, using appropriate logic in setting to merely justify its existence, the poet's own profound tone and passion, when he sounds so very devoid of a similar joy himself. Personally, I deeply empathise with this insightful piece.
Jessica K. Bruhn from Canada
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I believe the last comment misunderstands the poem completely. Some tips to a more in depth read:
The poem consists of two stanzas, one with 11 lines and the other with 9 (mistakenly, the comment below identifies it with only 8 lines). And there IS a rhyme scheme, the first stanza has three parts: [abcd][ebd][ecca]. The second is: [abcd][f][ecca]. You will notice the first and third sections of each stanza match exactly. It is the middle portion which is different.
Allow me to mention some key words of particular thematic imagery (make of them what you will, I won't give it all away here...):
-craft, trade, raging, [spin]drift, [nightin]gales
-singing, stages, nightingales, psalms, praise
-bread, labour, wages, pay
This poem is NOT about an author who is hostile to government or to the church. This is about writing; what it means to be a poet. It is about writing without commission and writing not for praise but because writing IS its own worth.
The poem is also a commentary on war. It is about the "towering dead" and Florence Nightingale, about older poetry that used to be all odes and psalms and "Hymns to the Aton." It is a new era of grief, where lovers hold each other and are alive in their grief. It is how words could never touch this grief, and how it is for this extreme feeling that the poet must write. It is a poem that is above "worth," it cannot be traded for "ivory."
RAB from United States