"Dorfdichter von Welt"

Name of traveller

Bernadette Conrad (b. 1963)

Reason for travel

• Dylan Thomas centenary 2014

Date of travel

2014

Ich setze mich ins Cross Inn [sic], bis die Wege aus dem Dorf wasserfrei sind und blättere in George Tremletts Buch Caitlin: Life with Dylan Thomas, das ich bei mir habe. "Wer is’n das?", fragt im Vorübergehen der jugendliche Kellner und tippt auf den Umschlag mit den beiden Lockenköpfen von Dylan und Caitlin, um dann ein strahlendes "War’n Witz" über die Schulter zu werfen. (Conrad 61)

Content

• customs: description of Portreeve Sunday celebrations
• literature: focus on Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) taking inspiration from his surroundings: Under Milk Wood and "Poem in October"
• people:
  • reads biography by George Tremlett: Caitlin: Life with Dylan Thomas
  • talks with local people about Thomas and his works
  • points out poverty of the Thomas family and their dependence on patrons and the frequent brawls between Dylan and Caitlin Thomas (1913-1994)
• terrain:
  • description of Laugharne as a gothic, odd, proudly eccentric village
  • poetic landscape surrounding the village
  • visit to Thomas's grave in the burial grounds of St Martin's Church
• click here to read the full account

Nationality of traveller

German

Language of publication

German

Gender of traveller

Female

Type of publication

essay; travelogue

Citation

Conrad, Bernadette. "Dorfdichter von Welt." Die Zeit 45 (30 Oct. 2014): 61. Print.