Poem Analysis - Unluckily For A Death

Introduction: A Tumultuous Exploration of Love and Mortality

Dylan Thomas's "Unluckily For A Death" is a complex and intensely personal poem grappling with themes of love, desire, mortality, and spiritual yearning. The poem is characterized by its dense imagery, allusions to religious and mythological figures, and a tone that oscillates between guilt, longing, and ecstatic affirmation. The speaker seems to be in a state of internal conflict, torn between spiritual aspirations and the overwhelming power of earthly love. This tension creates a dramatic and emotionally charged atmosphere.

The Entanglement of Love and Death

One of the central themes in the poem is the complex relationship between love and death. The title itself, "Unluckily For A Death," suggests that the intense experience of love somehow disrupts or postpones a previously anticipated encounter with death. The speaker references a "death/Waiting with phoenix under/The pyre," implying a cyclical process of destruction and rebirth. However, the overwhelming presence of love, embodied in the "woman in shades," seems to hold this process at bay. The imagery of the "grave its daughters" suggests that love, while potentially life-affirming, also possesses a connection to mortality and the transience of existence.

Conflicted Spiritual Desires

The poem explores the speaker’s conflicted spiritual desires. He contrasts the "saint carved and sensual" with the "wintry nunnery of the order of lust." This dichotomy suggests a struggle between idealized, perhaps unattainable, spiritual purity and the powerful pull of physical desire. The presence of religious imagery, such as "breviary/Turns of your prayed flesh" and references to Christ, highlights the speaker's yearning for a spiritual connection. However, this yearning is constantly challenged by the overwhelming power of his love for the woman, leading to a sense of guilt and self-doubt, yet also affirmation of the present. The phoenix symbol represents spiritual rebirth, but the poem posits that this rebirth is delayed or altered by the profound experience of love.

Symbolic Imagery: A World of Archetypes

The poem is rich in symbolic imagery. The "phoenix," traditionally a symbol of resurrection and rebirth, is presented as "unfired," suggesting that the speaker's spiritual transformation is incomplete or contingent on his embracing earthly love. The "tigron in tears" and the "she mules bear their minotaurs" evoke a world of hybrid creatures and mythological figures, hinting at the chaotic and paradoxical nature of the speaker's inner world. The "globe of genesis spun" within the beloved's "every inch and glance" is a powerful image that elevates the experience of love to a cosmic scale, suggesting that creation itself is renewed in the embrace of the beloved. The image of the "duck-billed platypus broody in a milk of birds" is bizarre, yet intriguing. Is it hinting at the unnatural or unexpected ways that love and life can manifest?

Love's Mortal Blessing

The poem concludes with an affirmation of earthly love as a source of blessing and meaning. The speaker states, "Both shall fail if I bow not to your blessing/Nor walk in the cool of your mortal garden/With immortality at my side like Christ the sky." This suggests that true fulfillment lies not in denying earthly desires or seeking purely spiritual transcendence, but in embracing the mortal experience of love. Love, in this context, becomes a form of grace, a "fate got luckily" that allows the speaker to reconcile his conflicting desires and find a path towards a more complete and authentic existence. The "native Tongue of your translating eyes" suggests that love offers a unique form of understanding, a way of seeing and knowing that transcends words.

Conclusion: A Celebration of Imperfect Love

"Unluckily For A Death" is a complex and challenging poem that ultimately celebrates the power of love to transform and redeem. While grappling with themes of mortality, spiritual yearning, and internal conflict, the poem ultimately suggests that true fulfillment lies in embracing the imperfections and complexities of earthly love. The speaker's journey is not one of pure spiritual ascent, but rather a recognition that love can be a source of both profound joy and profound challenge. The poem leaves the reader with a sense of wonder at the mysterious and transformative power of love in all its messy, imperfect glory.