Poem Analysis - When Once The Twilight Locks No Longer

Dylan Thomas's "When Once The Twilight Locks No Longer" is a complex and evocative poem exploring themes of creation, separation, and the legacy passed from father to son. The poem is steeped in surreal imagery and a sense of loss, tracing a journey from a state of intertwined being to one of distinct, and somewhat troubled, existence. The tone is initially brooding and unsettling, marked by images of decay and consumption. However, it shifts subtly towards a call for awakening and a release from the past’s grip in the final stanza.

The Anguish of Creation and Separation

One of the central themes in the poem is the painful process of creation and the inevitable separation between creator and creation. The opening stanzas describe a world where the speaker is consumed by time, and the "waters of the breast" are "swallowed dry," representing a draining of vitality. The phrase "I sent my creature scouting on the globe" suggests the speaker's act of giving life, but this act is presented as a kind of exile. The "globe itself of hair and bone," connected by "nerve and brain," highlights the intimate but ultimately severed bond. The poem uses vivid imagery of the body to convey this separation, such as the mention of "matter to his rib," indicating the creation of an independent being from the speaker's own substance.

Mortality and the Legacy of the Past

The theme of mortality pervades the poem, manifested through images of decay and the encroachment of death. Phrases like "the long worm of my finger" and "The redhaired cancer still alive" evoke a sense of corruption and disease. The "Christ-cross-row of death" further reinforces the omnipresence of death in the speaker's world and in the created being's experience. This mortality is not merely physical; it also represents the burden of the past and the inheritance of the speaker's struggles. The "father's magics" being drowned "in a dream" suggests a rejection of the past, yet the poem implies that this inheritance cannot be entirely escaped, forming a complex part of the son's being.

The Cycle of Sleep, Dream, and Awakening

The poem frequently references sleep, dreams, and the possibility of awakening. Sleep is portrayed as both a form of escape and a perilous state, "Sleep navigates the tides of time," suggesting a journey through the past and subconscious. The "dry Sargasso of the tomb" giving up its dead to the "working sea" emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and death, and the persistence of the past within the present. However, the poem concludes with a call to "Awake, my sleeper, to the sun," urging a break from the past and an embrace of the present. This final call for awakening suggests a hope for liberation from the inherited burdens of the past, towards a new beginning.

Symbolic Imagery: Light, Water, and the Body

Recurring symbols in the poem significantly contribute to its overall message. Light is associated with both creation and the potential for awakening, as seen in phrases like "blew like powder to the light" and "I sent my own ambassador to light." Water, initially representing nourishment and vitality ("milky acid on each hinge," "waters of the breast"), later becomes a symbol of decay and the unconscious, as in "The dry Sargasso of the tomb." Images of the body, especially those of dismemberment and corruption ("worm of my finger," "bags of blood let out their flies") convey a sense of fragmentation and the inescapability of mortality. How much does this “son” actually want to be free from the legacy or burden passed down?

Concluding Thoughts: A Call to Liberation

In conclusion, "When Once The Twilight Locks No Longer" is a poignant exploration of creation, mortality, and the complex relationship between past and present. Through its surreal imagery and evocative language, the poem delves into the anguish of separation and the burdens of inheritance. While the poem is filled with images of decay and loss, it ultimately offers a glimmer of hope in its final call for awakening, suggesting that liberation from the past is possible, even if it requires a conscious effort to break free from the "father's magics" and embrace the present.