A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London
Poetry
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Dylan Thomas
A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London Full Poem
A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London
By Dylan Thomas (1914-53)
Never until the mankind making
Bird beast and flower
Fathering and all humbling darkness
Tells with silence the last light breaking
And the still hour
Is come of the sea tumbling in harness
And I must enter again the round
Zion of the water bead
And the synagogue of the ear of corn
Shall I let pray the shadow of...
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A Refusal to Mourn the Death by Fire of a Child in London Key Facts
Poet: Dylan Thomas
Written: Around 1944–1945
Published: 1946, in the poetry collection Deaths and Entrances
Form: Lyric poem written in free verse (no regular rhyme or meter)
Tone: Serious, calm, spiritual, and deeply reflective
Genre: Elegy — but an untraditional elegy, because the poet refuses to express ordinary mourning
Setting: London during World War II, after a bombing th...
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A Refusal to Mourn the Death by Fire of a Child in London Summary
Summary
The poem “A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London” was written during World War II. It is about a small girl who died in the bombing of London. The poet says he will not cry or mourn in the usual way.
In the first part, he says life and nature will continue. Death is a natural part of life. So, we should not see it as something strange or fearful.
In the second part, th...
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A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London Quotations
Quotations
Quote: “Never until the mankind making / Bird beast and flower / Fathering and all humbling darkness”
Speaker: The Poet (Dylan Thomas)
Stanza: 1
Explanation: The poet begins by describing the world’s creation — when man, animals, and plants were made. He says only when everything in the world becomes silent again will the true end come. This shows that life and death are both parts...
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