One of Dylan Thomas’ most famous and celebrated poems, Fern Hill explores themes of youth, memory, and the passage of time. It begins with a joyful and idyllic portrayal of the speaker’s carefree days on the farm, surrounded by nature’s beauty and the innocence of youth.
“Fern Hill” was first published in 1946.
Fern Hill | Summary and Analysis
The poem is set in rural Wales and depicts the poet’s childhood experiences on his uncle’s farm, known as Fern Hill.
Fern Hill Analysis, Lines 1-9
Now as I was young and easy under the apple boughs
About the lilting house and happy as the grass was green,
The night above the dingle starry,
Time let me hail and climb
Golden in the heydays of his eyes,
And honoured among wagons I was prince of the apple towns
And once below a time I lordly had the trees and leaves
Trail with daisies and barley
Down the rivers of the windfall light.
In these lines from “Fern Hill,” Dylan Thomas reminisces about his carefree and joyful youth spent under the apple trees. The phrase “lilting house” suggests a cheerful and melodious atmosphere, while the comparison to the green grass emphasizes the vibrant and flourishing state of the surroundings. The night sky above the dingle, or a small wooded valley, is described as “starry,” evoking a sense of wonder and enchantment.
The speaker reflects on how, during his youth, time seemed to allow him the freedom to embrace life fully. He could “hail and climb” without limitations, metaphorically experiencing a golden period symbolized by the brightness and vitality of his eyes. The speaker also mentions being honored among wagons, suggesting a sense of admiration and respect from others in the community. He feels like a prince in the Apple towns, symbolizing his prominence and authority.
The phrase “once below a time” indicates a shift from the past to the present, suggesting that the speaker no longer possesses the same influence and power. He nostalgically recalls a time when he could command the trees and leaves to follow him, creating a picturesque scene with daisies and barley floating down rivers formed by the wind’s gusts.
Fern Hill Analysis, Lines 10-18
And as I was green and carefree, famous among the barns
About the happy yard and singing as the farm was home,
In the sun that is young once only,
Time let me play and be
Golden in the mercy of his means,
And green and golden I was huntsman and herdsman, the calves
Sang to my horn, the foxes on the hills barked clear and cold,
And the sabbath rang slowly
In the pebbles of the holy streams.
In these lines, Thomas continues to reminisce about his youthful days when he felt carefree and full of life. The speaker describes a time when he was well-known and respected among the barns and the farmyard, feeling a deep sense of belonging and contentment. The speaker portrays himself as being in sync with the rhythms of nature. He mentions being surrounded by the happy atmosphere of the yard, and his singing reflects a deep connection to the farm, which he considers his home. The phrase “sun that is young once only” emphasizes the fleeting nature of youth and the transient opportunities it presents.
During this period, the speaker feels that time granted him the freedom to play and enjoy life fully. He describes himself as being “golden” in the mercy of time’s resources, suggesting that he was privileged to experience the best that life had to offer. He also takes on the roles of a huntsman and herdsman, symbolizing his command over nature and his harmonious relationship with the animals. The calves respond to his horn, while the foxes on the hills bark, creating a vivid soundscape of rural life.
The mention of the Sabbath ringing slowly adds a touch of reverence to the scene. It signifies a moment of peaceful reflection and spiritual connection in the presence of the holy streams. The use of pebbles conveys a sense of simplicity and purity in the speaker’s surroundings.
Fern Hill Analysis, Lines 19-27
All the sun long it was running, it was lovely, the hay
Fields high as the house, the tunes from the chimneys, it was air
And playing, lovely and watery
And fire green as grass.
And nightly under the simple stars
As I rode to sleep the owls were bearing the farm away,
All the moon long I heard, blessed among stables, the nightjars
Flying with the ricks, and the horses
Flashing into the dark.
In these lines, Thomas vividly describes the idyllic atmosphere and sensory experiences of his youthful days on the farm. The speaker reminisces about the long days filled with sunshine, where everything seemed to be in motion and infused with beauty. The speaker paints a picture of fields of hay stretching as high as the house, creating a sense of abundance and growth. The tunes from the chimneys suggest a musical quality, as if the very air itself was filled with harmonious sounds. The adjective “watery” evokes a sense of fluidity and freshness, while the comparison of fire to the greenness of grass creates a vibrant and lively image.
During the night, under the simple stars, the speaker recalls the peacefulness of his evenings. As he rode to sleep, he perceived the owls carrying away the farm, implying a metaphorical transition from his childhood innocence and connection to the farm. Throughout the moonlit nights, the speaker heard the nightjars, a type of bird, flying alongside the stacks of harvested crops called ricks. The horses, with their swift movements, added a sense of energy and vitality to the dark surroundings.
Fern Hill Analysis, Lines 28-36
And then to awake, and the farm, like a wanderer white
With the dew, come back, the c*ck on his shoulder: it was all
Shining, it was Adam and maiden,
The sky gathered again
And the sun grew round that very day.
So it must have been after the birth of the simple light
In the first, spinning place, the spellbound horses walking warm
Out of the whinnying green stable
On to the fields of praise.
In these lines Thomas describes the experience of awakening to a new day on the farm, evoking a sense of renewal and enchantment. The speaker awakens to find the farm covered in dew, appearing like a wandering figure dressed in white. The presence of the c*ck, or rooster, on his shoulder, symbolizes the start of a new day. The scene is portrayed as shining and pristine, reminiscent of the innocence and purity of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The sky gathers once again, and the sun grows round, indicating the dawn of a fresh day and the cycle of nature.
The speaker then reflects on the origins of this daily renewal, referring to the birth of light in the primordial and mystical “first, spinning place.” This alludes to the creation of the world, where the simple light emerged and set everything into motion. The horses, perhaps metaphorically representing the forces of nature, emerge from the green stable, their whinnies creating a sense of liveliness and warmth. They proceed onto the fields, which are described as fields of praise, suggesting a celebration of the beauty and abundance of nature.
Fern Hill Analysis, Lines 37-45
And honoured among foxes and pheasants by the gay house
Under the new made clouds and happy as the heart was long,
In the sun born over and over,
I ran my heedless ways,
My wishes raced through the house high hay
And nothing I cared, at my sky blue trades, that time allows
In all his tuneful turning so few and such morning songs
Before the children green and golden
Follow him out of grace,
In these lines Thomas reflects on his elevated status and joyful experiences on the farm. The speaker describes being honored and respected not only by humans but also by the foxes and pheasants that inhabit the area surrounding the cheerful house. The phrase “under the newly made clouds” suggests a sense of freshness and renewal, while the comparison to the heart’s longing emphasizes the speaker’s deep contentment and happiness. The speaker associates their joy with the sun’s repeated births, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life and the continuous opportunities for joy and exploration.
The speaker admits to running heedlessly and engaging in their youthful desires. Their wishes and dreams flow freely through the house, represented by the metaphor of “high hay,” suggesting an unencumbered and carefree existence. The speaker expresses indifference to the passage of time and its limitations, not being concerned with its fleeting and melodic rhythms.
However, the speaker acknowledges the limited number of morning songs that time allows. This could be interpreted as a recognition of the finite nature of youth and the eventual transition into adulthood. The mention of “children green and golden” following time out of grace suggests the inevitable loss of innocence and the journey towards maturity.
Fern Hill Analysis, Lines 46-54
Nothing I cared, in the lamb white days, that time would take me
Up to the swallow thronged loft by the shadow of my hand,
In the moon that is always rising,
Nor that riding to sleep
I should hear him fly with the high fields
And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless land.
Oh as I was young and easy in the mercy of his means,
Time held me green and dying
Though I sang in my chains like the sea.
In these concluding lines, Thomas reflects on his youthful perspective and the realization of the passage of time. The speaker expresses a lack of concern during the innocent and pure days of youth, unaware of the eventual effects of time’s passage. The phrase “lamb white days” refers to the days of innocence and purity, when the speaker did not worry about the future or the inevitability of aging. The image of being taken up to the loft by the shadow of the hand suggests a sense of playfulness and imagination. The moon, which is always rising, symbolizes the constant presence of time and its influence on life. The speaker acknowledges that, while riding to sleep, they would hear time, represented by the sound of wings, flying through the expansive fields. This signifies the relentless forward movement of time and the realization that childhood and the farm, once cherished and familiar, are now forever lost.
The speaker then reflects on the contrast between their youthful carefree state and the eventual understanding of time’s impact. Despite being held captive by the chains of time, they continue to sing, comparing themselves to the vastness and unyielding power of the sea.
Fern Hill | LITERARY DEVICES
Thomas extensively uses vivid and evocative imagery throughout the poem. Examples include “The Lilting House,” “rivers of the Windfall Light,” “sun that is young once only,” and “whinnying green stable.” These images create a sensory experience for the reader, bringing the farm and its surroundings to life.
Thomas employs metaphorical language to convey deeper meanings. For instance, the speaker is described as the “prince of the apple towns,” symbolizing his prominence and authority in his youthful days. The mention of the “foxes on the hills barked clear and cold” implies the presence of danger and the transient nature of innocence.
The poet personifies time, attributing human-like qualities to it. Time is described as “golden in the heydays of his eyes” and as having “tuneful turning.” This personification emphasizes the role of time in shaping the speaker’s experiences and its inevitability in bringing about change.
Thomas uses alliteration to create musicality and rhythmic patterns in the poem. For example, “green and golden I was huntsman and herdsman” and “nightly under the simple stars” demonstrate the use of alliteration for poetic effect.
Assonance refers to the repetition of vowel sounds within words. Thomas employs assonance to enhance the musical quality of the poem. For instance, in the line “Time held me green and dying,” the repetition of the long “e” sound creates a lyrical effect.
Thomas employs symbolic elements throughout the poem. For example, the farm and its natural surroundings represent a lost paradise of childhood innocence and freedom. The passage of time and the changing seasons symbolize the inevitability of aging and the transience of youth.
ABOUT THE POET
Dylan Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, born on October 27, 1914, in Swansea, Wales. His works were characterized by rich imagery, complex symbolism, and a musicality of language. He experimented with various poetic forms and techniques, including his renowned use of sound patterns and internal rhymes. Some of Thomas’s most famous works include “Do not go gentle into that good night,” “And death shall have no dominion,” and “Fern Hill.” His poetry collections, such as “18 Poems” (1934) and “Deaths and Entrances” (1946), received critical acclaim. His play, “Under Milk Wood,” is considered a masterpiece and showcases his distinctive linguistic style. His tragic and often tumultuous personal life added to the romanticized image of the tormented artist. Nonetheless, Dylan Thomas’s contributions to poetry and literature continue to be celebrated and studied. His unique style, evocative imagery, and passionate performances have made him an enduring figure in the world of literature.