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by Dylan Thomas (1914 - 1953)

Twenty‑four years
 (Sung text for setting by R. Ford)
 Matches base text
Language: English 
Twenty-four years remind the tears of my eyes.
(Bury the dead for fear that they walk to the grave in labour.)
In the groin of the natural doorway I crouched like a tailor
Sewing a shroud for a journey
By the light of the meat-eating sun.
Dressed to die, the sensual strut begun.
With my red veins full of money,
In the final direction of the elementary town
I advance as long as forever is.
First published in Life and Letters Today, December 1938, revised 1939

Composition:

    Set to music by Ron Ford (b. 1959), "Twenty-four years", 1985, from Four songs on texts of Dylan Thomas, no. 2

Text Authorship:

  • by Dylan Thomas (1914 - 1953), "Birthday poem"

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 9
Word count: 75

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