Never to reach the oblivious dark

Dylan Thomas

1914 to 1953

Poem Image

We are working on musical arrangements of Never to reach the oblivious dark by Dylan Thomas and they will be published on a date yet to be decided.

Never to reach the oblivious dark
And not to know
Any man’s troubles nor your own—
Negatives impress negation,
Empty of light and find the darkness lit—
Never is nightmare,
Never flows out from the wound of sleep
Staining the broken brain
With knowledge that no use and nothing worth
Still’s vain to argue after death;
No use to run your head against the wall
To find a sweet blankness in the blood and shell,
This pus runs deep.
There’s poison in your red wine, drinker,
Which spreads down to the dregs
Leaving a corrupted vein of colour,
Sawdust beneath the skirts;
On every hand the evil’s positive
For dead or live,
Froth or a moment’s movement
All hold the sum, nothing to nothing,
Even the words are nothing
While the sun’s turned to salt,
Can be but vanity, such an old cry,
Nothing never, nothing older
Though we’re consumed by loves and doubts.
I love and doubt, it’s vain, it’s vain,
Loving and doubting like one who is to die
Planning what’s good, though it’s but winter,
When spring is come,
The jonquil and the trumpet.

Dylan Thomas's Never to reach the oblivious dark

We are busy working to bring Dylan Thomas's "Never to reach the oblivious dark" to life through our unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you soon.

At V2Melody, each arrangement is crafted with care through a thoughtful partnership of human artistry and technological innovation. This process involves:

  • Deep analysis of the poem's rhythm, structure, and emotional essence
  • Careful selection of musical styles that enhance the poem's unique voice
  • Balancing traditional poetic expression with contemporary sound landscapes
  • Multiple revisions to ensure the arrangement honors the poet's original vision

This creative journey takes time—each composition represents hours of dedicated work to create something that deepens our connection to Dylan Thomas's words in meaningful ways.

While you wait for our complete interpretation, we invite you to explore other musical arrangements in our gallery or learn more about Dylan Thomas's life and contributions to literature.

Check back soon to experience how "Never to reach the oblivious dark" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.

Create a Cloze Exercise

Click the button below to print a cloze exercise of the poem critique. This exercise is designed for classroom use.