I See the Boys of Summer

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1939

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Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Further Reading & Resources

Related Poems

"To Summer" by William Blake (1783)

Published more than 150 years before “I see the boys of summer,” William Blake’s “To Summer” first appeared in his 1783 book Poetical Sketches, but still shares similar themes and stylistic choices, as both writers are associated with Romanticism. Like Thomas, Blake creates vivid depictions of nature combined with human activity. Vivid and emotional like Thomas’s poem, “To Summer” differs in tone, remaining fixated on the joy of summer and never delving into darker imagery.

"The force that through the green fuse drives the flower" by Dylan Thomas (1934)

Another poem from the same collection as “I see the boys of summer,” “The force that through the green fuse drives the flower” was an early success for Thomas. Again, life and death are interwoven. The same force that makes flowers bloom, that makes trees grow, also brings aging, and death. Thomas again uses punctuation to control the rhythm of the poem, utilizing semicolons, periods, and commas throughout to create a start-and-stop cadence. Similar themes and aesthetic choices help the poems fit cohesively into the same collection.

"And death shall have no dominion" by Dylan Thomas (1933)

A notable poem in Dylan Thomas’s body of work, “And death shall no dominion” was first published in 1933 and later included in his second collection, Twenty-five Poems. The poem finds Thomas contemplating life and death, like much of his work. Here, life and death are connected, but death is not oppressive. Our lives may fade, but death doesn’t conquer us, which Thomas reiterates with the titular refrain, repeated at the beginning and end of every stanza.

Further Literary Resources

"High Talk: Influence from the British Isles" American Society of Poets (2021)

Published on poets.org in 2005, the article offers additional context and information on an array of the notable poets working in the first half of the 20th century. Emphasis is given to poets’ countries of origin and the perceived dominance of North American writers on literary aesthetics at the time, such as T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound (although they both eventually moved to England). While North American writers were influential across the West, Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet, made an impact in the States: “Thomas’ poems were ecstatic and dionysian, an intoxicating outpouring of language.” Many poets—Americans, British, Irish—it turns out, influenced one another, each writer making a unique contribution to literature at the time.

"Dylan Thomas" Poetry Foundation (2021)

A concise and comprehensive biography of Dylan Thomas’s life from the Poetry Foundation. Thomas’s entire life is surmised, touching on his early success as a young poet to his premature death in New York. Stories of Thomas’s tumultuous personal life, problematized by his excessive drinking and financial troubles, are interwoven with his publication history. All of Thomas’s publications are mentioned with information on their publication date, along with critical and commercial reception of each work. Throughout his life, Dylan Thomas found critical success, and, at times, steady work, but his propensity for alcohol and personal destruction made his life tumultuous and trying.

Dylan Thomas: A New Life by Andrew Lycett (2005)

Written by biographer Andrew Lycett, Dylan Thomas: A New Life was published in 2005. Lycett utilizes archival materials, including personal papers, to develop a deeper understanding of Dylan Thomas’s artistic intentions. Additionally, Lycett describes Thomas’s troubled marriage with Caitlin Macnamara, which was troubled by infidelity. The biography aims to shine new light on all facets of Thomas’s life, both personally and artistically, to create a newfound appreciation for the life and legacy of an artist who died too soon.

Listen to Poem

Richard Burton reads "I see the boys of summer" by Dylan Thomas

Acclaimed Welsh actor Richard Burton, famous for his roles in Hamlet, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and many other projects, reads Dylan Thomas’s “I see the boys of summer” in his iconic baritone voice.