International Dylan Thomas Day – May 14, 2024

History of International Dylan Thomas Day

Dylan Marlais Thomas, a Welsh poet, and writer, was born in the Welsh city of Swansea in 1914. Thomas dropped out of school in 1931 to work as a reporter for the “South Wales Daily Post,” but he quit under duress 18 months later. Many of his works were published while he was still in high school. The release of “Light Breaks Where No Sun Shines” drew the literary world’s attention in 1934. During his lifetime, Thomas became known as a renowned poet, even though he struggled to make a livelihood as a writer. He began reading on stage and the radio. His B.B.C. radio broadcasts in the late 1940s brought him to the notice of the general people, and the B.B.C. frequently employed him as an approachable voice of the literary scene.

Thomas visited the United States for the first time in the 1950s. His performances there gained him considerable notoriety, but his unpredictable behavior increased. His experience in the United States solidified his reputation, and he went on to record masterpieces like “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” on vinyl. Thomas grew critically ill and went into a coma during his fourth trip to New York in 1953. On November 9, 1953, he passed away.

Although Thomas only wrote in English, he is considered one of the most influential Welsh poets of the 20th century. He is known for his unique, rhythmic, and inventive word and imagery combinations in pieces like “Do not go gently into that good night” and “And death shall have no dominion.” Dylan Thomas was very popular throughout his life and remained so after his death in New York City at the age of 39.