So much has been written about "Fern Hill" :- the other writers that might have influenced Thomas; the positioning of the poem within the writer's oeuvre; his tortuous creative methodology (rewrite upon holistic rewrite), that we sometime can lose sight of the essence of the work. For me, this is a piece which unashamedly celebrates the simple joys of childhood and gently mourns the erosion of such ecstasy as adulthood corrupts the innocence with the passage of time. .
Although poems can make us think, above all, they make us feel; "Fern Hill" is, I believe, one of the most sensory poems written inasmuch as, after a reading (slow please, very slow - try to hear a talking voice!), I can see the places Dylan recalls, I can hear the sounds, I can share the elation and dreams, I can feel the sun, I can notice the colours and fruit, I can lament the passing of my own childhood. Thomas tries to make us, as adults, feel as he feels - he knows that all adults share one common experience at least - we were all once children, so that:- we were all once delighted - none of us, as children, ever valued those fleeting pleasures within a greater whole - we are all nostalgic for something, someone or somewhere. .
"Fern Hill" has occasionally been criticised for portraying an idealised, sanitised vision of the poet's highly-individual perfect holiday environment - but so what? - his locations and happenings will be different to mine (and yours and yours and yours) but our wistfulness and nostalgic regrets will be very similar (especially if teased out by Dylan!). As noted within my analysis of "A Visit to Grandpa's":- .
'As we peer back into our own childhood we sift and filter our memories so that the ones portraying our contentment or delight predominate - we remember sunny holidays, visits, happy places, treats, Christmases, presents. We recall those kinfolk people who loved us as children, their closeness and kindness; their voices, smells and faces.
