Even lovers of Dylan Thomas's poems are often puzzled by his habits of language, which sometimes take the form of unusual diction and unique perceptions. This study, on the hundredth anniversary of his birth, is a must-read for both Thomas's fans and newcomers interested in an introduction to his works and the unique sensibility that created them. Chapters are devoted to his poetic perspectives, ranging from the microscopic to the cosmic; his unusual perceptions of the world, which some critics have described as those of an almost altered reality; his diction, or working vocabulary; his penchant for refurbishing cliches; his hilarious sense of humor and linguistic playfulness; his development as a poet; and his concern for sound, often resulting in a lofty, at times Biblical, though secular, tone. In summary, the study fully explores the heart and mind behind the poems, and shows why his work will always remain in the top rank of English poetry.

Even lovers of Dylan Thomas's poems are often puzzled by his habits of language, which sometimes take the form of unusual diction and unique perceptions. This study, on the hundredth anniversary of his birth, is a must-read for both Thomas's fans and newcomers interested in an introduction to his works and the unique sensibility that created them. Chapters are devoted to his poetic perspectives, ranging from the microscopic to the cosmic; his unusual perceptions of the world, which some critics have described as those of an almost altered reality; his diction, or working vocabulary; his penchant for refurbishing cliches; his hilarious sense of humor and linguistic playfulness; his development as a poet; and his concern for sound, often resulting in a lofty, at times Biblical, though secular, tone. In summary, the study fully explores the heart and mind behind the poems, and shows why his work will always remain in the top rank of English poetry.

William Greenway's poems travel between muggy recollections of a Southern Baptist childhood, meditations on the otherworldly beauty of Wales, and commentary on life, death, and the revelry in between. For every witty turn of phrase, a punch beyond the punch line stuns us with wisdom and transcendence. A poem like "Ophelia Writes Home," a witty revisionist account that shifts the slaughter of that famous tragedy to domestic bliss, exemplifies Greenway's genius for reconciliation, for the grace of happiness no matter what happens. We smile, we grieve, and we keep reading these surehanded and goodhearted poems.

This innovative, broad-ranging book by William Greenway unfolds a biblical spirituality centring on love for all creation and all creatures. Greenway rereads the creation and flood narratives in Genesis from an overtly creature-loving perspective that not only inspires care for creation and its creatures but also reveals sophisticated understandings of faith, grace, and evil vital for twenty-first-century spirituality. Comparing the ancient Israelite cosmology of Genesis with the ancient Babylonian cosmology of the Enuma Elish and with the modern Darwinian cosmology of Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan, Greenway shows how Genesis extends far beyond those cosmologies in its discernment of the transcending, gracious love of God. Standing at the intersection of animal rights, "green" biblical studies, and philosophical theology, Greenway's For the Love of All Creatures is a groundbreaking work that will interest and inform a wide range of readers.