Class 12 English Lesson 9: Poem: Every Morning I Wake by Dylan Thomas Literature Section

 

Lesson 2 The Poem: Every Morning I Wake by Dylan Thomas

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About the poet

 

Dylan Thomas (1914- 1953) was born in Swansea, Wales and is famous for his acutely lyrical and emotional poetry. Thomas can be seen as an extension into the 20th century of the general movement called Romanticism, that flourished in the nineteenth century England, particularly in its emphasis on imagination, emotion, intuition, spontaneity, and organic form. He is considered to be one of the greatest Welsh poets of all time. Thomas is largely known for his imaginative use of language and vivid imagery in his poems.

Theme of the Poem

The main theme of Every Morning I Wake by Dylan Thomas is hope and the wish for peace in a difficult world. Each morning, the speaker says a prayer asking for mercy — not just for himself, but for everyone. This shows a sense of kindness and care for all living things. The repeated line “Lord, open unto us” highlights the deep human need for forgiveness, help, and a fresh start each day. The poem reminds us that life is full of struggles, but each new morning brings another chance to hope and try again. It also shows that people are connected through their shared hopes and challenges. In the end, the poem encourages us to keep going with courage, kindness, and a hopeful heart, no matter what happens.

Summary of the poem

The poem ‘Every Morning I Wake’ is an extract from Under Milk Wood (1953), a radio play, was written by Dylan Thomas. The play which was set in a small Welsh town called Llareggub covers one day in the lives of its provincial characters. In the poem, Thomas prays to Almighty God to have mercy on ordinary inhabitants living under the Milk Wood.

The poem is the sermon of Reverend Eli Jenkins, the town preacher in the play ‘Under the Milk Wood’. The speaker seems to be kind to other people. Every morning he prays to God to have mercy on all poor townspeople under the wood. The people are fated to be born and die. As long as they are alive, they need help and to be protected. Every evening the speaker asks the lord for a blessing to protect the town. 

However, he doesn’t know whether the people will be alive after the night. He is certain that they are always blessed. He declares that no one in the town is completely bad or good. He prays that God will see and judge them on their best traits and not their worst. At the end of the poem, the speaker says that the inhabitants of Milk Wood will bow to the sun and bid goodbye as they are hoping to see the sunshine the next day. The poem seems to be the helpless voice of tiny threads of momentary flesh and bone, pleading to be noticed by their Creator.

It sums up with a message that we who are so imperfect trying and hoping and praying that God may value and preserve the best of what we can come up with in our lives.  

Literary Devices used in Poem

In Every Morning I Wake, Dylan Thomas uses several literary devices to express hope and longing for peace. Repetition is a key device, with the line “Lord, open unto us” repeated to create a prayer-like rhythm and emphasize the speaker’s plea for mercy. Imagery helps make feelings of hope and forgiveness vivid, allowing readers to picture the act of waking and seeking grace each morning. Thomas also uses alliteration, such as in “Morning I wake”, to add musical flow to the poem. The tone is humble, hopeful, and reflective, showing a deep human desire for kindness and renewal. Finally, symbolism is present throughout: morning represents new beginnings, while prayer symbolizes the universal human need for connection and strength. Together, these devices create a simple yet powerful message about the importance of hope and compassion in daily life.

Understanding the text: Answer the following questions.

a.      When does the speaker pray to the Lord?

The speaker prays to the Lord in the morning time and evening time.

b.     What does the speaker pray for?

The speaker prays to the Lord for having his loving eye on all poor creatures who are mortal.

c.      Who are the “poor creatures”? Why does the speaker call them “poor creatures”?

The ‘poor creatures’ mean all the innocent creatures that are on planet earth. The speaker calls them “poor creatures” because they are born to die and it is not sure whether they can see another morning or not.

d.     What does Milk Wood sound like? A type of wood or a place? Why?

Milk Wood sounds like a place because there is no use of an article before this noun. If it is a type of wood then an article either ‘a’, ‘an’ or ‘they’ must have been used according to grammatical rules.

e.      Why do the inhabitants of Milk Wood bow to the setting sun “but just for now”?

The inhabitants of Milk Wood bow to the setting sun “but just for now” because they know that they are not permanent and they are ending the prayer of that day and wishing to see another day.

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