Poetry is a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. It is emotion recollected in tranquillity. W. Wordsworth (MEG 102) (DYLAN THOMAS)

Dylan Thomas had a very different view of poetry compared to Wordsworth's idea of "emotion recollected in tranquillity." In fact, Thomas once famously declared, "Poetry is not the assertion of truth, but the making of that truth more fully real to us."


For Thomas, poetry was not an intellectual exercise, nor was it something that could be created through a deliberate, conscious effort. Rather, it was a spontaneous outpouring of intense feelings and emotions, which he described as a "feverishness of the spirit." In his view, the role of the poet was to tap into this deep wellspring of emotion and give it form through language.


Thomas's approach to poetry was highly subjective and personal, and he believed that the true value of a poem lay in its ability to evoke a powerful response in the reader. He was not concerned with adhering to established rules or structures, and his work often defied traditional poetic conventions. Instead, he sought to create a visceral, sensory experience through his use of language, relying heavily on imagery, sound, and rhythm to convey his meaning.


In summary, while Wordsworth saw poetry as an intellectual and reflective exercise, Thomas believed that it was a highly emotional and intuitive process, where the poet's primary goal was to capture and convey the raw, intense feelings that inspired their work.