Not forever shall the Lord of the red hail
Hold in his velvet hand the can of blood ;
He shall be wise and let his brimstone spill,
Free from their burning nests the arrows’ brood.
And sweet shall fall contagion from his side,
And loud his anger stamp upon the hill.
As fire falls, two hemispheres divide,
Shall drown the boys of battle in their swill,
The stock and steel that bayonet from the mud,
The fields yet undivided behind the skull.
Both mind and matter at the scalding word
Shall fall away, and leave one singing shell.
A hole in space shall keep the shape of thought,
The lines of earth, the curving of the heart,
And from this darkness spin the golden soul.
Intangible my world shall come to naught,
The solid world shall wither in the heat,
How soon, how soon, O lord of the red hail!
I am busy working to bring Dylan Thomas's "Not forever shall the Lord of the red hail" to life through some 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:
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 the complete interpretation, I invite you to explore other musical arrangements in my gallery or learn more about Dylan Thomas's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "Not forever shall the Lord of the red hail" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.