War and Peace

A radio drama, then a play, then a film, Under Milk Wood is a fictional story inviting the audience to listen to the innermost dreams and thoughts of a fictitious Welsh town called Llareggub, (buggerall spelt backwards). Better seen or listened to than read IMO. But these few words touched me as they are quite ambiguous and are uncannily reminiscent of a state of war.

 

Every morning when I wake,
Dear Lord, a little prayer I make,
O please do keep Thy lovely eye
On all poor creatures born to die

And every evening at sun-down
I ask a blessing on the town,
For whether we last the night or no
I’m sure is always touch-and-go.

We are not wholly bad or good
Who live our lives under Milk Wood,
And Thou, I know, wilt be the first
To see our best side, not our worst.

O let us see another day!
Bless us all this night, I pray,
And to the sun we all will bow
And say, good-bye – but just for now!

Dylan Thomas (1914 – 1953)