POETRY

 

TRAWSBLANIAD ENAID/ 

SOUL TRANSPLANT/RUH ZARA’A

'These don't look like children to me- We should do dental testing to certify the age of refugees'

David Davies MP

 

'everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy, in other countries, asylum from persecution'

Article 14: Universal Declaration of Human Rights

  

MAY THE SYRIAN SOIL

BENEATH YOUR FINGERS

FUSE WITH THE WELSH EARTH

TO MELD INTO A NEW GARDEN

 MAY YOU TAKE REFUGE IN TRYFAN'S CRAGS

AND WANDER WILD UP PEN Y FAN

 

MAY YOU BRING SUNSHINE TO OUR VINEYARDS

MAY THE TEIFI ELAN AND TAFF

BRING YOU HOME WHEN YOU ARE LOST

LET THE SLATE MOUNTAIN OF BLAENAU FFESTINIOG

BUILD A ROOF TO PROTECT YOU 

 FROM THE NIGHTMARES OF YOUR PAST

 

LET THE TONGUES OF BEVAN  CADWALADR AND GLYNDWR

BE YOUR ADVOCATE AGAINST

THROATS OF HATRED

 LET CYMRAEG CHIME WITH ARABIC

TO FORGE OUR NEW DIALECT

MAY YOUR CHILDREN GROW LIKE THE 

RINGS OF THE LLANGERNYW YEW

SUTURED AND SECURED TO LAND

 

MAY YOU SPICE OUR LARDER WITH 

FALAFEL AND FATTOUSH

AND LET US SHARE FOOD AT ARTHUR'S TABLE

AND

SEEK SHELTER IN CARREG CENNEN'S SECRET TUNNEL

AND AWAKE AS  POETS

FROM THE SLOW SLUMBERS OF CADAIR IDRIS' 

DAWN DRENCHED SLOPES

 AND  LET THE SALTED ARC

OF CARDIGAN BAY

SOOTHE         THE SCARS OF YESTERDAY

 AND  MAY YOU STAND UPON

THE ACHING ARCHES OF PUMLUMON

TO VIEW THIS TINY MASSIVE LAND

FROM WHERE

THE SEVERN, RHEIDOL AND WYE BIRTH THEIR JOURNEY

AND YOU TOO, SHALL FLOW

 

MAY THE CRADLING ARMS OF THE CAMBRIANS

STRENGTHEN YOU

SNOWDON'S MIST SHAWL YOU

AND THE VALLEYS CWTCH YOU

AS 'NA THELYN  BERSEINIOL FY NGWLAD'

(NOR SILENCED THE HARP OF MY COUNTRY)

BECAUSE

IT NOW HAS A NEW  STRING 

FROM AN END TO

A JUST BEGUN

 

FOR

WE ARE ALL TRANSPLANTED

FROM SOMEWHERE

BROUGHT IN BY THE BREEZE

FROM SEA TO SHORE

SETTLED ON FALLOW GROUND

GRATEFUL FOR THE SUNLIGHT

WAITING FOR THE RAIN

 

AND IF  THEY TRY TO BURY US

WE SHALL DIG DEEP

CLING TO OUR PAST

SPROUT ROOTS

AND  FROM THE LIVED PRESENT

INVENT OUR FUTURE

YOURS AND MINE

COME,

LET US CULTIVATE OAK AND OLIVE TREES

SIDE BY SIDE

OCHR YN OCHR

YMLAEN, 

 

PUBLISHED WORKS

 

DARKNESS IS WHERE
THE STARS ARE

The book that had Stephen Green and Christian Voice on their knees praying for the redemption for the author. Personal whispers and societal screams.

'These poems engage
and enrage'
– Peter Tatchell

 

FUSE

Selected poetry and the full text of Everything Must Go & Unprotected Sex.

'Very powerful stuff'
– Harold Pinter