He goes on to talk about how words are weighing him down ‘stones’ this represents his inability to express himself freely using words. In the phrase,
‘My saying shall be my undoing,’ this mixes up the words and so he it trying to express to the reader that by expressing his feelings he is ‘undoing’ his own thoughts. This to me was a very strange concept to grasp, as he does not state this clearly.
Thomas uses the adverb ‘once’ so symbolise that once it was the thrill of the words he was choosing rather than the ideas he used to express them clearly.
Thomas used the phrase ‘soaked my table’ to show how his mind – the table- was flooded with ideas and he wrote the ideas down quickly so as to express his point correctly.
He rebukes himself for his technique of writing spontaneously as he adds ‘I must not do’.
Thomas writes,
“That all the charmingly drowned arise to cockcrow and kill.”
This means that all the things that have been swamped by his use of imaginative words will have to immerge and call out to reality.
Thomas uses onomatopoeia words such as ‘cuckoo’ as to show he desires his work to be spoken out loud rather than read quietly.
He concludes this poem by summarising that is isn’t any use writing obscure poems with obscure meanings, as readers do not get the point.
In SA Thomas overtly talks about the art of producing poetry. Thomas talks of the skill of creating poetry, which separates him from civilisation, this reinforces the theme of solitary existence that Thomas talks of in other poems.
Thomas is analysing the way in which he writes poetry, which it is intended for and his motivation for writing.
Thomas opens the poem by informing the reader of when he writes poetry; ‘exercised in the still night’ he goes n to personify the moon as ‘rages’ to contrast against the ‘still nights. This could be illustrative to the was that Thomas feels that other than when he is writing poetry he or the world does not have such an impact on his life.
Thomas talks of writing poetry as ‘labour’ here he is trying to convey to the reader that poetry writing is hard and strenuous. He goes on to describe the ‘light’ – his inspirations- as ‘singing’ he does this to show even though he is working hard he still loves writing poetry.
Thomas talks of ‘Not for ambition or bread’ this shows that he is not writing to achieve success or money he is doing it for his love of the art. Thomas also wants gratitude form people and he wants them to enjoy his work.
“Not for the proud man apart
From the raging moon I write”
This is saying he isn’t writing for the businessmen, as they do not wish to be influenced by creativity.
“Nor for the towering dead
With their nightingales and psalms”
This is a metaphor as Thomas is talking of all other great writers who have made such a huge impact on society. He is saying he respects them yet he is not trying to be them.
Thomas talks of nightingales as they have an effect on people who hear them. He talks of ‘lovers’ as a symbol of people who have emotions and feelings and who can respond to his poems and this id his main reason for writing.
Thomas uses enjambment in this poem to convey a stream of consciousness.
In conclusion I believe Thomas was a very proud writer who respected peoples need for creativity, and so he embraces these needs in the way he writes his poems.
