“A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the universe, helps to extend everyone’s knowledge of himself and the world around him.”
Dylan Thomas
On The Road Book Club 
I love Thomas and read his memoir Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog for the first time last year. His prose was as beautiful as his poetry. Thank you for this post and the one on Plath. Remembering their birthdays is a wonderful reminder for us to reflect on their words once again.
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There is something about celebrating milestones, remembering that others have set their voices to words, music, art, poetry…
I often think of that amazing quote from Thornton Wilder’s “The Bridge of San Luis Rey: “There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.” When I look back, I see in the words of Dylan Thomas and Sylvia Plath, a form of love letters to humanity, to those who will come after them. It is a testament to the creative spirit that comes down through the centuries of human experience. I often think that other creatures that share our world have their own way of transferring knowledge from generation to generation. Ah… but that is another story… 🙂 Thank you for joining the dialogue – very much appreciated.
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Yes, he is now being recognized as a great poet. His father read, I guess, great works of literature even before he could read. Your thought about “Live” is so appropriate.
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A family that shares the joy and excitement of reading opens up doors to many wonderful possibilities. May we embrace every moment that we live!
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Such a brilliant and beautiful soul!
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“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.”
Dylan Thomas, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
The first time I read those words in high school, a fundamental shift occurred in my thought process. Many have discussed the meaning behind these words, but for me it was simply one word: “Live.”
Live every day of my life; give reverence and respect to every age that is given to me…
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