Artist

Alexander Averin

Wednesday 27 August 2008

A piece of Dylan Thomas

The Boathouse


On Monday we had a trip to Laugharne in Carmarthenshire to visit The Boathouse, the one-time home of the famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. M and I had been before but we took my brother and sister in law to see it. Here are a few pics and also my favourite poem by Thomas which is of course one of his most well-known ones.






The front of the boathouse





The interior of the shed where he did most of his writing. It is situated in the lane leading to the boat house.






A view from the house across the estuary.



Laugharne Castle




Do not go gentle into that good night



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.
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.
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 the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.


Dylan Thomas




Photo of a rose taken through my cottage window.

Bye for now,
Go mbeannai Dia duit,
Cait.

19 comments:

Fire Byrd said...

Those are just the right words for me at the moment , thanks, Cait.
lovely photos, no wonder he was inspired living there.

Amanda said...

How lovely, Cait. The poem, the boat house, the photos and the coat.

Tess Kincaid said...

I love how the interior of his writing shed looks as if he just left for a bit and will reapprear any moment now!

DAB said...

Great pics, wonderful poem and I'm liking that coat, very much TFX

snailbeachshepherdess said...

We have done that trip Cait ...it is just so lovely...do they still let you sit in the house and listen to Richard Burton reading Under Milkwood ....coal black, crow black,,,, still remember my English teacher enthusing over that phrase......and in the sunshine ...a real bonus this year

Cait O'Connor said...

SBS - Bible black as well, that is a fantastic phrase too.
Yes you can still watch a video and hear Burton's wonderful voice.

Cait O'Connor said...

SBS - Bible black as well, that is a fantastic phrase too.
Yes you can still watch a video and hear Burton's wonderful voice.

Norma Murray said...

He was such a tortured man, how could he write such beautiful words? Or did he write them because he was tortured? Answers on a postcard...probably not.
Thanks for reminding me.

Frances said...

Cait, I cannot thank you enough for the places and spaces that your posts take me to.

xo

Anonymous said...

Wow. Thanks for that. Wouldn't have seen it otherwise. Your rose, by the way, is just beautiful.

Edward said...

Beautiful pictures (especially that rose!), beautiful words. Dylan Thomas wasn't afraid of a rhyme, and it annoys me when other poets who use rhyme (John Betjeman, for example) are routinely derided as mere versesmiths. Lovely blog as usual.

Kim said...

I just quoted the beginning of that poem to my daughter earlier this week. She is a big Bob Dylan fan, and though she knew Dylan Thomas was an influence on him, she wasn't really familiar with him. She is only 17 . . .

Beautiful rose.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

One of my favorite of his poems as well. I've always wanted to see his writing shed. How fortunate you are to visit. Like Flannery O'Connor's home at Andalucia, or Wordsworth's Rydal Mount...I always feel these great writers might just still visit occasionally, and I always hope to catch them out.

And, I completely adore your purple coat. A wonderful choice!

Chris Stovell said...

Oh, I still haven't been - lovely photos so I must go. Good choice of poem, Cait.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

What beautiful photos and lovely words. How wonderful to live in such a magnificent place with all that scenery to inspire each day.

Pondside said...

That was the first 'grown up' poem and I fell in love with it.
Your purple coast is gorgeous!

CAMILLA said...

Hello Cait,

Wonderful pictures, and I just love Dylan Thomas poems. The breathtaking views a real inspiration to pen such marvellous poems.

Mention Richard Burtons's voice and I go weak at the knee's, wonderful voice he had.

Great coat Cait.!

xx

LITTLE BROWN DOG said...

Oh, Cait - what a perfectly enchanting post! Exquisite pictures, as always, and a fantastic poem that always bears re-reading. Very much enjoyed that.

Lane Mathias said...

What a magical place! Wonderful photos.

Great coat in previous post btw!