Wales Song

 

There are many poetries from Wales; you'll have to read your history books, way back, to get some grasp of the complexity, some definition, of what constitutes, defines, this ancient country. In the light of this many-sidedness I make no apology for offering a completely personal gathering of poems; to pretend to be doing otherwise would fail to do justice to the several voices of poetry in Wales, the art for which it is renowned.

You will notice first of all that all the work included here is in English, not in Welsh: but so takes place as a contribution to the strong poetic tradition known as Anglo-Welsh, most famous abroad in the work of Dylan Thomas. Also, many of the poets are not even Welsh themselves: but I hope therefore the collection helps to break a shibboleth that has tended to dominate Welsh literature in recent times - that it ought to be self-referential in content and conservative in style. What defines this work as a Welsh collection is that it was written in Wales, and that it intends to make a living contribution to its culture.

You may familiarise yourself with the wider currents of writing in Wales by getting in touch with the Academi (the Welsh Academy of Writers). Not an academic institution despite its name, Academi exists to promote literature in Wales. Their website is simply www.academi.org. From there you can track down the many and various magazines and anthologies that represent Welsh writing. You will find something there to interest you. I'm also open to any correspondence of a progressive nature, preferably by post in the first instance, to eliminate junk emailings. My address is Glan Yr Afon, Llanbedr, Powys, Wales, UK. NP8 1SY.

I hope you enjoy the poetry and the art included here.

Hwyl am nawr.

Daliwch ati!

and all good wishes from Wales.

--Graham Hartill


Ian Davidson
Lyndon Davies
Peter Finch
Penny Hallas
Graham Hartill
Ric Hool
John Jones
Phil Maillard
Ian McLachlan
Fiona Owen
lloyd robson
Zoe Skoulding
Zoe Skoulding and Ian Davidson
Chris Torrance
Christopher Twigg