Dylan Thomas Portrait Poems

Earlier this term I shared the amazing book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley titled ‘Fire’. It is full of rich language and beautiful imagery. As a response, students in Stage 2 chose a subject and in groups created a Dylan Thomas Portrait. This type of poem is named after the famous Welsh poet who used words experimentally in his poems. Each portrait focuses on the senses and begins with the question: ‘Did you ever…?’ The question is then answered with a description.

Below are a selection of the poems written by students. They have tried to capture the essence or basic nature of their chosen subject.

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” — Leonardo da Vinci

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I think this quote is wonderful! Da Vinci lived his life knowing how to combine deep thinking and art.

I’ve been so, so busy with preparations for our upcoming Art Show of late that I’ve found myself with little time for much else. This morning I’ve paused to reflect on why I’ve invested so much time and energy into it and I guess the simple answer is; it’s something that I really value and enjoy. I love to see the creative talents of our students displayed alongside the work of ‘real artists’ in an exciting exhibition space.

Art is an essential part of my life as is music and poetry. They have much in common. Art, poetry, and music are all forms of expression that have the ability to nourish our mind and touch our very heart and soul. For every feeling, thought, or emotion, you can find a painting, a poem, or a piece of music that expresses it concisely. Poetry is a form of writing that strips away all that is unimportant and leaves only the barest, most honest and expressive words behind. It creates an emotional response just as viewing amazing art, or listening to awesome music does. Some of the best poetry is to be found in the lyrics of the many songs we listen to.

Do you love and appreciate art, poetry and music as much as I do? I’d love to hear about it.
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