Here’s a shocking revelation that might just rewrite literary history: Dylan Thomas, the celebrated Welsh poet, was accused of repeatedly plagiarizing other poets’ work during his schoolboy days. Yes, you read that right. According to Alessandro Gallenzi, an author and publicist who meticulously examined Thomas’s early writings, the young poet wasn’t always the original genius we’ve come to admire. But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: Gallenzi’s discovery, which he describes as “wholesale plagiarism,” was made while editing a new collection of Thomas’s poetry, shedding light on a side of the poet few knew existed.
Thomas, who joined Swansea Grammar School at just 11 years old in 1925, was an eager contributor to the school magazine. However, Gallenzi uncovered at least a dozen instances where Thomas copied entire works from other publications, passing them off as his own. And this is the part most people miss: one of these plagiarized poems, His Requiem, was submitted under the name D.M. Thomas and published in the Western Mail in 1927, but it was originally written by Lillian Gard and published in Boy’s Own Paper five years earlier. Even more audacious? Thomas managed to publish a copied poem in Boy’s Own Paper itself—a nationally read magazine—15 years after the original appeared.
The discovery was first made by Gallenzi’s editor, Alex Middleton, who gained access to one of only two complete collections of Thomas’s school magazine, owned by Geoff Haden, president of the Dylan Thomas Society. “My heart stopped,” Gallenzi recalled, describing the moment they realized the extent of the plagiarism. “We were close to finishing the collection and had to start from scratch.” In total, they identified 12 plagiarized poems, though Gallenzi suspects the number could be as high as 24.
So, why did Thomas do it? Gallenzi speculates it could stem from insecurity, a desire to stand out in a new, larger school, or the pressure to impress his father, an English teacher at Swansea Grammar with high ambitions for his son. But here’s the controversial question: Does this discovery tarnish Thomas’s legacy, or does it humanize him, revealing the struggles of a young artist finding his voice? Haden, the museum curator, isn’t surprised by the revelation, noting that Thomas likely wanted something to show his father to ease the constant nagging about homework.
Despite the plagiarism, Gallenzi emphasizes that Thomas eventually found his unique voice. The plagiarized works are now included in an appendix of the upcoming collection Dylan Thomas – The Complete Poems, offering a fascinating glimpse into the poet’s early years. A few of these poems, alongside their original Boy’s Own counterparts, will be on display at Dylan’s birthplace museum in Swansea starting this weekend.
But here’s the thought-provoking question for you: Does this revelation change how you view Dylan Thomas? Is it a forgivable youthful mistake, or does it cast a shadow on his later achievements? Let us know in the comments—this is one literary debate you won’t want to miss!
