Where once the Waters of your Face
The poem explores themes of mortality, loss and the passage of time through a series of vivid and often unsettling images. The speaker's face is compared to a landscape that has been ravaged by the forces of nature, with waters washing away their features and identity. This metaphor serves as a powerful symbol for the erosion of individuality in the face of death and the inevitability of decay.
By Dylan Thomas · First published 1946 · Genre: Poetry, Modernist, Symbolism · 224 words
First lines
Where once the waters of your face Spun to my screws, your dry ghost blows, The dead turns up its eye; Where once the mermen through your ice
Pushed up their hair, the dry wind steers Through salt and root and roe.
Where once your green knots sank their splice Into the tided cord, there goes The green unraveller,
His scissors oiled, his knife hung loose To cut the channels at their source And lay the wet fruits low.
What this Textopian page supports
Where once the Waters of your Face 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, Symbolism, Nature, Mystical
- Length: 224 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing poetic devices such as imagery, metaphor, and rhythm.
- Modernist — The themes and style reflect modernist characteristics, including complex imagery and a focus on existential themes.
- Symbolism — The text employs symbolic language to convey deeper meanings, particularly through natural and mystical imagery.
- Nature — The poem heavily features natural elements and themes, exploring the relationship between nature and human experience.
Tags
Poetry · Autobiographical · Memoir · Nostalgia · Childhood · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · Family Dynamics · Love · Loss · Grief · Memory