Dylan Thomas was born in 1914 in Swansea, where he worked as a reporter on the local newspaper. He published his first volume of poetry, 18 Poems, when he was just twenty years old. Thereafter, bohemian literary life in London alternated with some more positively creative periods back in Wales. He had a celebrated career as a writer for radio and film, and he continued to publish poetry and short stories. From 1950 onwards, Thomas' attention was given mainly to completing his most famous work, Under Milk Wood: A Play for Voices. The poet died in New York in 1953 and is buried at Laugharne.