The Speaker

The speaker is a poet meditating on his artistic practice and craft. He writes in solitude at night while most people sleep. To the speaker, poetry is a worthy endeavor characterized in terms of labor. Factors such as wealth, prestige, recognition, or even basic needs like eating do not motivate the speaker. Instead, he seeks to touch the hearts of ordinary people by focusing on universal experiences such as love and grief.

Though speakers should never be equated with poets, one possible interpretation of this poem is that this speaker is Dylan Thomas himself reflecting on why and how he writes poetry.

The Moon

Thomas both personifies the moon and casts it as a symbol in the poem. He repeatedly refers to the moon using the word "rage," which bestows an active quality upon it. For example, "the moon rages" while most people sleep (3). This word also...