Unfinished Poem by Dylan Thomas and works by Jan Morris acquired by the Library

Thu, 08 Jul 10 10:26:00

An unfinished poem by Wales’s most famous poet, Dylan Thomas, will stay in Wales.

 

The poem, Elegy, begins with the line; ‘An old tormented man three quarters blind’ and is part of a collection of work which has been bought by the National Library for the nation.  The collection, by the poet who died in 1953, also includes an extensive word-list for Poem on His Birthday, first published in World Review in 1951, and a collection of very early poems, such as the important poem A Refusal to Mourn the Death by Fire of a Child in London (Jeff Towns Collection: Dylan Thomas Poetry and Prose Manuscripts).

 

This collections adds to an already substantial and unique archive of work by Dylan Thomas held at the National Library of Wales. Among this archive is a unique and insightful map drawn by Thomas of his fictional village, Llareggub, for the world-famous radio play, Under Milk Wood.

 

The Librarian, Andrew Green, is very glad that Dylan Thomas’s work will stay in Wales.

 

‘The National Library of Wales takes its role as the nation’s principal archive very seriously. In a long line of poets stretching over 1,500 years in Welsh and then English, Dylan Thomas is one of the best known of Welsh poets. This collection of work which gives us an insight into how Dylan Thomas worked as a poet as well as a collection of unique works is a very welcome addition to the Library’s archive. It also means that the work of one of Wales’s best known poet stays in his native land.’

 

An additional collection of manuscripts by, and relating to, the author Jan Morris, have also been acquired by the National Library. These include; typescripts of her novels, together with the publisher’s corrected typescript of her memoir Conundrum, together with correspondence, notebooks and printed material. The collection will be added to the Jan Morris Papers.

 

Further information and images

Siôn Jobbins, NLW Press Office: 01970 632 902 post@llgc.org.uk