Dylan Thomas - April 22nd, Iyengar III

Last July (2021), as simple way of reading broadly, I started going through my poetry collection alphabetically by author. This is how my collection is organized i my space, so a pretty simple thing to do. I have taken breaks from this exercise for holidays, or something specific comes up, or I get a new book, or…And I haven’t read every author I have, a haphazard structure at best. Now I am as far as the “T”s. This Thomas feels just perfect. Time passes, get going.

HERE IN THIS SPRING

Here in this spring, stars float along the void;

Here in this ornamental winter

Down pelts the naked weather;

This summer buries a spring bird.

Symbols are selected from the years?

Slow rounding of four seasons’ coasts,

In autumn teach three seasons' fires

And four birds' notes.

I should tell summer from the trees, the worms

Tell, if at all, the winter's storms

Or the funeral of the sun;

I should learn spring by the cuckooing,

And the slug should teach me destruction.

A worm tells summer better than the clock,

The slug's a living calendar of days;

What shall it tell me if a timeless insect

Says the world wears away?