In My Craft Or Sullen Art

Dylan Thomas 1914 (Swansea) – 1953 (Greenwich Village)

In my craft or sullen art
Exercised in the still night
When only the moon rages
And the lovers lie abed
With all their griefs in their arms,
I labour by singing light
Not for ambition or bread
Or the strut and trade of charms
On the ivory stages
But for the common wages
Of their most secret heart.
Not for the proud man apart
From the raging moon I write
On these spindrift pages
Nor for the towering dead
With their nightingales and psalms
But for the lovers, their arms
Round the griefs of the ages,
Who pay no praise or wages
Nor heed my craft or art.

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Submitted by acronimous on October 13, 2014

Modified on May 02, 2023

: 32 sec read
: 521 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	ABCDEBDEFFAABFDGEFFA
Closest metre	Iambic tetrameter
Characters	536
Words	109
Stanzas	1
Stanza Lengths	20

Full analysis for In My Craft Or Sullen Art »

Dylan Thomas

Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a 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 became popular in his lifetime and remained so after his premature death in New York. In his later life he acquired a reputation, which he encouraged, as a "roistering, drunken and doomed poet". more…

All Dylan Thomas poems | Dylan Thomas Books

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AIDA
This poem shines with a deep and poignant beauty that is both powerful and touching. The imagery is evocative, drawing the reader into a world of stillness and intimacy, where emotions run deep and true. The poet's commitment to his craft is inspiring, motivated not by a desire for fame or fortune, but by a passion for speaking to the hearts of his readers. It is through his skill in weaving words together that he touches the most intimate spaces of our souls, and brings comfort to those who carry the weight of grief. Reading this poem is a reminder of the power and healing that art can bring to our lives, and it fills us with a sense of gratitude and respect for those who dedicate their lives to it. more »
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