Comment on the fantasy used in “Poem in October.”

Answer

Comment on the fantasy used in “Poem in October.”

In “Poem in October,” written in 1944, Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) mixes real scenes with fantasy. In the poem, he describes the beautiful nature as he walks on his thirtieth birthday early in the morning. But many images are magical and dream-like. These fantasy elements make the poem feel rich, emotional, and full of wonder.

Blending of Real and Fantasy:  The poem starts with the sounds of nature, like the sounds of the seashore and nearby woods. As the poet walks early in the morning, he hears the sound of boats, all the sea birds, and the forest birds. He also sees a hunting heron dive into the water. However, Thomas also blends real scenes with fantasy. For example, he imagines the heron as a priest. He writes: 

“…The heron

Priested shore”

This is an image of fantasy. This gives the shore a holy feeling. Another example is when he sees “the sea wet church the size of a snail.” From the high hill, the poet looks at the faraway church at the seashore. The church looks tiny, like a snail with its horn. This image is straight out of the poet’s wonderful fantasy. These fantastical pictures make the landscape feel alive and magical.

Changing Weather and Seasons: It is a rainy morning in Autumn (October). The poet is climbing a nearby hill. The “sun of October” soon becomes “summery.”

“…And the sun of October

Summery

On the hill’s shoulder”

The weather changes suddenly in the poet’s imagination. He sees the bright sunlight of a midsummer day. He uses fantasy and goes back to the summer days of his childhood when he walked with his mother. 

In fine, Dylan Thomas’s real natural images and fantasy make the poem beautiful and magical. Fantasy is used to turn an ordinary birthday walk into a magical journey.