Fern Hill

Poetry | Dylan Thomas
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What does the colour “green” signify in “Fern Hill”?

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What does the colour “green” signify in “Fern Hill”?

In Dylan Thomas’s (1914 – 1953) “Fern Hill” (1945), the colour “green” appears again and again. It is one of the most important symbols in the poem. The word “green” reminds the reader of youth, nature, freedom, and the freshness of life. Through this colour, the poet expresses both the joy of childhood and the passing of time.

Green as the Colour of Youth and Innocence: At the beginning of the poem, the poet says he was,

“Young and easy under the apple boughs” 

Later, he was “green and carefree.” Here, green stands for childhood. It is a time of purity, laughter, and new beginnings. The poet feels alive, happy, and close to nature. The world of Fern Hill Farm, his Aunt Annie Jones’s home, is full of green trees, gra
ss, and fields. This colour paints the poet’s early life as full of growth and hope.

Green as the Colour of Nature and Harmony: The colour green also reflects the deep unity between the child and nature. The poet plays among the fields, barns, and rivers. He feels one with the living world around him. In nature’s “fire green as grass,” the poet sees energy and life everywhere. Green becomes a symbol of nature’s eternal renewal. It shows that the poet’s childhood is not just a personal memory, but also a part of the great rhythm of life.

Green as the Colour of Change and Mortality: In the final stanza, the poet says,

“Time held me green and dying, 

Though I sang in my chains like the sea.”

Here, green no longer means only youth and joy. It now suggests change and mortality. Life that is still alive but slowly moving toward death. The poet realizes that even while he was “green,” time was silently making him older.

In “Fern Hill,” the colour green symbolizes youth, life, and nature’s beauty. Dylan Thomas uses green to show that childhood is both a beginning and an ending. It is a moment of joy that time will soon turn into memory.

 

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Dylan Thomas
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