When, Like a Running Grave
The narrative revolves around a young couple's tumultuous relationship and their struggles with identity, morality, and mortality. Their bond is tested by the husband's infidelity, which sparks a downward spiral of emotional turmoil, guilt, and despair. The wife's inner world is characterized by feelings of isolation, desperation, and a desperate search for meaning. Throughout the story, themes of existential crisis, the search for authenticity, and the blurred lines between good and evil are explored. The narrative is marked by a sense of urgency, as the characters grapple with their own mortality and the transience of human experience. The author's use of vivid imagery, poetic language, and symbolism adds depth and complexity to the narrative, inviting readers to reflect on the human condition and the fragility of relationships.
By Dylan Thomas · First published 1946 · Genre: Poetry, Modernist, Surrealism · 524 words
First lines
When, like a running grave, time tracks you down, Your calm and cuddled is a scythe of hairs, Love in her gear is slowly through the house, Up naked stairs, a turtle in a hearse,
Hauled to the dome, Comes, like a scissors stalking, tailor age, Deliver me who, timid in my tribe, Of love am barer than Cadaver's trap Robbed of the foxy tongue, his footed tape
What this Textopian page supports
When, Like a Running Grave is listed on Textopian as a poem by Dylan Thomas, dated 1946 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Dylan Thomas
- Date: 1946 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Modernist, Surrealism, Philosophical, Experimental
- Length: 524 words
- Structure: 1 section, 19 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for When, Like a Running Grave by Dylan Thomas
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering When, Like a Running Grave?
- How does this poem by Dylan Thomas fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- This Dusky Faith by Edna St Vincent Millay
- When Next Shall We Stumble To The Stutter by Dylan Thomas
- Since Of No Creature Living The Last Breath by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Thou Famished Grave by Edna St Vincent Millay
- The Child In The Orchard by Edward Thomas
- On No Work Of Words by Dylan Thomas
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse, utilizing poetic devices such as metaphor, imagery, and rhythm.
- Modernist — The themes and style reflect modernist characteristics, including complex imagery and a focus on existential themes.
- Surrealism — The imagery and symbolism are dreamlike and abstract, typical of surrealist literature.
- Philosophical — The text explores deep themes such as time, mortality, and the human condition.
Tags
Poetry · Autobiographical · Biographical · Memoir · Literary Fiction · Existentialism · Philosophy · Spirituality · Mortality · Death · Loss · Grief