Page 10 - March 2019 EGO Magazine

local // lleol

The best
multicultural
Welsh home a
poet could wish
for.

Nothing can quite prepare you for it. As
an event on a national scale, it’s quite
uniquely Welsh – none of the corporate
hysteria that would follow a big prize in a
larger country, but a feeling of significance
(deserved or not) that endears you to a big
exuberant community of well-wishers.

Speaking of the Eisteddfod, Tregaron
has recently been announced as the
2020 host. Exciting times ahead for
this part of the world? Very exciting! It’s
crazy to think it’s been over 35 years since
the Eisteddfod was last held in Ceredigion,
I’m mostly ok, but some words can Laureate) has been the highlight rewarding things I’ve done as a poet and it’s only been in the county three
still get away and it can take a while so far? It certainly came at an have come from collaborations. So times since 1976. It’s high time we got to
to get the cogs in my brain turning important time for me and felt like I’d have to say visiting India many enjoy the kind of cultural and linguistic
smoothly in Saesneg! a big vote of confidence. I’ll always times and working with long-term boost that only the ‘prifwyl’ can offer.
be grateful to Literature Wales for collaborator Sampurna Chattarji. Mind you, fund-raising fatigue may well
When did your relationship with giving me that opportunity, and for She’s an English-language poet and have settled in by then!
Aberystwyth begin? It’s people many others. More recently, I’ve had novelist who lives in Mumbai, and
that make a place. I made lifelong a lot of fun starting two new projects a very good friend. Last year we This magazine will be distributed
friends in Aber as a student – we with good friends and fellow poets published a collection of poems on St David’s Day. What does being
still keep in touch and meet up for – with Aneirin Karadog, Clera, the together, Elsewhere, Where Else Welsh mean to you? In the current
reunions. I’m obviously biased, but only Welsh-language poetry podcast / Lle Arall, Ble Arall, and another political climate, not being British. Being
surely Aber has to be the best place in the world (see eurig.cymru), and collection, this time for children, Welsh is much more than that, of course,
on earth to be a student, especially with Hywel Griffiths, Cicio’r Bar will be published this summer. but it’s clearer to me than it’s ever been
in the Welsh language. But there’s poetry night at the Arts Centre. that resisting Britishness is extremely
life here post-pub crawl too! The The next will be held on 6 June In 2016 you won the Prose medal important if Wales is to survive in any
community around Morlan and with singer-songwriters/poets (and at the National Eisteddfod. As meaningful way. The British political
Capel y Morfa near where we live in husband and wife) Iwan Huws and someone who’s dedicated his establishment cares not one bit about
town is as vibrant, supportive and Georgia Ruth. career to exploring the Welsh Wales and is to all purposes in a state of
welcoming as you’d wish to find language, to be recognised collapse over Brexit – surely we can do
anywhere. Your writing has taken you at the ultimate gathering of better?
all over the world including ‘Welshness’ must have been a
You’re still a young man but Bangladesh, Kenya, Colombia, massive buzz? It was awesome! As Finally, if you had to sum up the
your CV is rather jam packed Hungary and India. Is it possible well as the ceremony itself and the beauty of where you live in 10 words
to say the least. Would you say to pick a favourite poetry whole hoopla afterwards, one thing or less, what would you say? The best
being appointed Bardd Plant related travelling experience? I’ll remember always is people’s multicultural Welsh home a poet could
Cymru (Welsh Children’s As you can guess perhaps, the most immense good-will and kindness. wish for.

10. The EGO® The EGO® 11.