Creative Influences

Dylan Thomas writes a powerful truth in his poem, “In My Craft or Sullen Art”. There is a rawness present as well as a sense of sincerity toward the art of poetry and its impact on our lives. This style and tone reminded me of the Romantice poets we studied earlier. Not because they are so similar im imagery or rhyme scheme, but rather their underlying meanings are connected. The Romantics were extremely moved by nature and faith. These are things they believed in and needed for inspiration. Then, when they wrote, they wrote from their souls. Dylan Thomas did that as well. “In My Craft” is a song of his soul. And just like the Romantics had nature for inspiration, Thomas has that secret place, that moment in the night when it is just him and and his pen. He wrote for the glory of what he say in front of him. Not for anyone’s approval or grace, but rather for those that were not looking for the art. He wrote from the strongest thing around him at the time, his heart…just like the Romantics did with nature. His craft and art is what he looked to in order to give back to nature. The way he is moved so much by poetry and creativity reminds me of “On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer”, by John Keats. Both of these poems and their poets love poetry so much that the sight of another great poem excites them. They wrote to better the world of literature. Also, Robert Frost’s themes and references to nature reminded me of many poets from earlier studies…Coleridge, Byron, Yeats…all of which had a great respect for what inspired them everyday.