DYLAN THOMAS - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 09/24/1937 - HFSID 176153

DYLAN THOMAS
The 22-year-old poet, recently married, signs a handwritten letter, urgently asking for employment
Autograph Letter signed: "Yrs sincerely,/Dylan Thomas.", 1 page, 4¾x7¾. Marston, Bishopston, Glamorgan, 1937 September 24. To "Dear Mr. Byron". In full: "Thank you very much for your letters. I'm sorry my letter crossed yours in the post. And thank you, too, for being so considerate and candid. I do understand that there is, as yet, no possibility of you discovering anything permanent for me; but I'm really grateful that you should have taken the trouble you have. (I remember meeting you in Cyril Connally's, but didn't mention it as I thought it more than likely you wouldn't have remembered me). And yes, I must get work, and so obviously must come to town very soon. I'm so glad you think you'll be able to put enough temporary work my way to carry the cost of the journey and to leave me just a little money. I believe I can manage to come tot up next week. Shall I ring you as soon as I do? I'm afraid I know very little about the sort of thing I want to do, but it will be much easier for us to discuss it then than for me to write what must unfortunately, be the vaguest of business letters. I'm looking forward to meeting you. And thank you again." Welsh poet and short story writer Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) became legendary in the U.S. with readings of his works in the 1950s. Although Thomas had received immediate critical acclaim when his first book of poetry, Eighteen Poems, was published in 1934, and he followed it with a 1936 work, 25 Poems, he was living in poverty in England and Wales in 1937. In July 1937, Thomas had married Caitlin Macnamara (the couple would have three children), and it was important that he find work, although he had begun writing short stories at this time. In 1953, the year he died from alcoholism two weeks after his 39th birthday, Thomas, a remarkable performer of the spoken word, read his most famous piece, Under Milk Wood, at a public performance in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The work was published posthumously in 1954. Lightly soiled at upper left and mid-left blank margins. Pinhead-stain at upper blank edge. Fine condition.