This poem explores the theme of loss and longing through the image of a ploughman who has disappeared from his field. The speaker reflects on the significance of this figure's absence, suggesting that it represents a deeper disconnection from nature and the land. The poem delves into the emotional impact of this loss, with the speaker expressing a sense of desolation and isolation. The imagery is rich in symbolism, drawing parallels between the ploughman's departure and the decay of the natural world. Through the use of vivid language and metaphor, the poem conveys a sense of melancholy and nostalgia for a lost era or way of life. The speaker's musings on the ploughman's absence serve as a commentary on the human experience, touching on themes of impermanence and the transience of life.
By Dylan Thomas · First published 1946 · Genre: Poetry, Modernist, Pastoral