Poem Analysis - When Like A Running Grave

Introduction: A Dance with Death

Dylan Thomas's "When, Like A Running Grave" is a darkly evocative poem, steeped in imagery of death, decay, and the relentless passage of time. The poem grapples with themes of mortality, love corrupted by time, and a desperate yearning for escape from the inevitable. Its tone is largely melancholic and fearful, shifting between moments of pleading and defiant acceptance. The poem doesn't offer easy solace; instead, it confronts the reader with the grim realities of aging and the ultimate triumph of death.

Time's Unrelenting Pursuit

The primary theme of the poem is the relentless march of time and its destructive effect on life and love. The opening lines, "When, like a running grave, time tracks you down," immediately establish time as a predator, an inescapable force. The image of time as a "running grave" is potent, suggesting that time doesn't merely pass but actively pursues and consumes. This is further emphasized by phrases like "scissors stalking, tailor age," portraying age as a menacing figure that meticulously cuts away at life. Love, a subject often celebrated, is depicted as being corrupted and slowed down by time: "Love in her gear is slowly through the house, / Up naked stairs, a turtle in a hearse." This imagery vividly contrasts the vitality typically associated with love with the morbid symbolism of death and sluggishness. Time is not a healer but a destroyer.

Cadaver's Kingdom: The Reign of Death

The poem is permeated with imagery of death and decay, personified by the recurring figure of "Cadaver." Cadaver's "country" becomes a symbolic landscape of mortality, filled with "eunuchs" and marked by "nitric stain," further suggesting corruption and the loss of vitality. "Cadaver" is not just death but embodies the process of decay, the slow erosion of life. Phrases like "Cadaver's candle waxes thin" and "Cadaver in the hangar" reinforce the idea of dwindling life and impending doom. He is ever-present, subtly reminding us of our shared destiny. The image of "dust" as "the knock of dust, Cadaver's shoot / Of bud of Adam through his boxy shift" highlights the cyclical nature of life and death, where even the potential for new life is already touched by mortality.

The Plea for Deliverance

Amidst the pervasive imagery of death and decay, there is a recurring plea for "Deliver[ance]." The speaker cries out, "Deliver me who timid in my tribe," suggesting a fear of death and a sense of vulnerability within the larger human community. The repetition of "Deliver me, my masters, head and heart," underscores the depth of this desperation. The speaker is seeking salvation not just of the body but also of the mind and spirit. This plea may be interpreted as a search for meaning or purpose in the face of inevitable death. The "masters" to whom the speaker appeals could represent various sources of authority or belief systems, such as religion, philosophy, or art, that might offer solace or a way to transcend mortality.

Love Corrupted

The poem often depicts love in a distorted and unsettling light. The phrase "Despair of blood faith in the maiden's slime" is particularly jarring, suggesting a disillusionment with the idealized notion of love and virginity. The imagery is visceral and unpleasant, contrasting sharply with traditional romantic ideals. This subversion of love aligns with the poem's overall theme of decay and the corruption of beauty. The poem highlights the effect that time has on all things including our passions. The poem, in this vein, becomes a warning.

Conclusion: A Grim Acceptance

In conclusion, "When, Like A Running Grave" is a complex and challenging poem that confronts the grim realities of mortality and the relentless passage of time. Through vivid and often disturbing imagery, Dylan Thomas explores themes of decay, the corruption of love, and a desperate yearning for escape. While the poem offers no easy answers or comforting illusions, it ultimately suggests a grim acceptance of the inevitable. The final image of "Happy Cadaver's hunger as you take / The kissproof world" implies that even in death, there is a kind of perverse satisfaction, a final embrace of the inescapable fate that awaits us all. The poem serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring power of time.