Wales' new national poet is named A professor of Welsh from Bangor University has been named as the man to follow in the footsteps of Wales's first national poet.
Gwyn Thomas will take over from Gwyneth Lewis, who wrote the inscription on the front of the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.
The poet, writer and academic said he would use the role to draw attention to the work of Welsh poets.
He said: "It's an enormous privilege, but it will also mean a lot of work."
The national poet holds the role for one year, with their works in English or Welsh read at ceremonial and official occasions.
Gwyneth Lewis became the first national poet in 2005.
Her successor, Prof Thomas, was born in 1936 at Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, and is now the Emeritus Professor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Bangor.
The first term under Gwyneth Lewis was extremely successful and it helped to raise the status of poetry in Wales Peter Finch, Academi chief executive
Prof Thomas has published 16 volumes of poetry, several volumes of work as a literary and cultural critic and has also translated the Mabinogion into English.
Prof Thomas is also involved with the film industry in Wales, and has helped pioneer techniques to combine poetry and film.
He said: "I would like to see the media give only five minutes a week on the radio, or television for poets to read their work.
"Listening to the one who has written the words reading them is more worthwhile than an actor or recitor saying them," he added.
Prof Thomas said he hopes to "draw attention to the poets of Wales and their work, and try to show that poetry is a unique medium to respond to the world in which we live".
The national poet role is administered by Academi, the Welsh writing body.
Peter Finch, Academi's Chief Executive, said: "The first term under Gwyneth Lewis was extremely successful and it helped to raise the status of poetry in Wales.
"I would like to congratulate Gwyn Thomas for the appointment and we look forward another successful year."
As national poet, Prof Thomas will be reading and discussing his work in public, as well as writing poems for significant national events and occasions.
He will be "in conversation" with his predecessor Gwyneth Lewis at the Lloyd George Museum in Llanystumdwy on 27 July.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/5161364.stmPublished: 2006/07/08 15:43:27 GMT© BBC MMVII
Monday 31 December 2007
National Poet for Wales
Sorry I'm a little late in catching up with this. I heard on Radio 4 today a poem from the National poet of Wales. Didn't know there was one!!
She was so good I thought I'd find some information out . Please see the following:
Wales Appoints Its First National Poet Press Release Academi, 30 April, 2005
The United Kingdom has a Poet Laureate. Scotland has its Maker. Most states in the US have state poets. Canada has a Poet Laureate. In the USA there’s a Poet Laureate Consultant.
Now, after a six year campaign, Wales appoints its first National Poet.
Gwyneth Lewis, author of the world’s biggest poem (the Wales Millennium Centre bi-lingual inscription), NESTA fellow (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts), author of six books of poems in two languages, a Book of the Year winner, librettist, sailor, and probably Wales’ best known poet since R S Thomas will be inaugurated as our first National Poet at a special 2.30 pm event at the Hay Literature Festival on May 30th this year.
The appointment of the first National Poet of Wales is made possible by direct funding from the Arts Council of Wales. The appointment is for one year with an option to renew for a second and will be administered by Academi, the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society of Writers.
Gwyneth Lewis was the unanimous choice for National Poet made by a group advising the Academi at a meeting in Cardiff recently. Members of this group include the National Eisteddfod, the National Library, the Welsh Assembly Government’s Culture committee, the Arts Council of Wales, Yr Gymdeithas Gerdd Dafod, Ty Newydd, the Dylan Thomas Centre, the University of Glamorgan and the Association for the Study of Welsh Writing in English.
Wales has a long tradition of valuing highly its poets with the creation of a Bardd Plant Cymru (a Welsh Children’s Poet) each year and the chairing and crowning of poets at the annual National Eisteddfod. The National Poet, however, will be the first post which will serve Wales on a national basis and do this through both languages.
The National Poet will act as a cultural ambassador for Wales - marking and celebrating our lives through verse. She will take poetry into places it may not normally go in both the public and private area. Unlike England’s Poet Laureate Wales’s national Poet will not be required to write verse for specific formal occasions but will, instead, follow her inspiration. Gwyneth Lewis has already written a poem on Wales’ Grand Slam Victory and an elegy for Gwynfor Evans.
Gwyneth Lewis said: "It's a huge privilege to be representing poetry in Wales, where we have a poetic tradition stretching back to the sixth century and fully present in the twenty-first." Academi Chief Executive Peter Finch, who has long campaigned for the creation of a National Poet said: "I am delighted that poetry in Wales at last has a national champion. Gwyneth Lewis is the perfect choice." Gwyneth Lewis’s inauguration at the Hay festival will be followed by a series of high profile appearances at public events throughout Wales.
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She was so good I thought I'd find some information out . Please see the following:
Wales Appoints Its First National Poet Press Release Academi, 30 April, 2005
The United Kingdom has a Poet Laureate. Scotland has its Maker. Most states in the US have state poets. Canada has a Poet Laureate. In the USA there’s a Poet Laureate Consultant.
Now, after a six year campaign, Wales appoints its first National Poet.
Gwyneth Lewis, author of the world’s biggest poem (the Wales Millennium Centre bi-lingual inscription), NESTA fellow (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts), author of six books of poems in two languages, a Book of the Year winner, librettist, sailor, and probably Wales’ best known poet since R S Thomas will be inaugurated as our first National Poet at a special 2.30 pm event at the Hay Literature Festival on May 30th this year.
The appointment of the first National Poet of Wales is made possible by direct funding from the Arts Council of Wales. The appointment is for one year with an option to renew for a second and will be administered by Academi, the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society of Writers.
Gwyneth Lewis was the unanimous choice for National Poet made by a group advising the Academi at a meeting in Cardiff recently. Members of this group include the National Eisteddfod, the National Library, the Welsh Assembly Government’s Culture committee, the Arts Council of Wales, Yr Gymdeithas Gerdd Dafod, Ty Newydd, the Dylan Thomas Centre, the University of Glamorgan and the Association for the Study of Welsh Writing in English.
Wales has a long tradition of valuing highly its poets with the creation of a Bardd Plant Cymru (a Welsh Children’s Poet) each year and the chairing and crowning of poets at the annual National Eisteddfod. The National Poet, however, will be the first post which will serve Wales on a national basis and do this through both languages.
The National Poet will act as a cultural ambassador for Wales - marking and celebrating our lives through verse. She will take poetry into places it may not normally go in both the public and private area. Unlike England’s Poet Laureate Wales’s national Poet will not be required to write verse for specific formal occasions but will, instead, follow her inspiration. Gwyneth Lewis has already written a poem on Wales’ Grand Slam Victory and an elegy for Gwynfor Evans.
Gwyneth Lewis said: "It's a huge privilege to be representing poetry in Wales, where we have a poetic tradition stretching back to the sixth century and fully present in the twenty-first." Academi Chief Executive Peter Finch, who has long campaigned for the creation of a National Poet said: "I am delighted that poetry in Wales at last has a national champion. Gwyneth Lewis is the perfect choice." Gwyneth Lewis’s inauguration at the Hay festival will be followed by a series of high profile appearances at public events throughout Wales.
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Sunday 30 December 2007
My intentions for 2008 ~ Scary or What?????
Big, Scary & Hairy Intentions for 2008 ~ 1st January 2008 ~ 1st Draft………
Re-work the novel “One death etc” and have in a shape ready for publishing by September 2008.
Take part in "Script Frenzy" in April ~ sign up now ~ 1st Jan. Intention is to produce a stage play on a subject not yet chosen ~ and complete the project aim ie 200 pages of script by end of April 2008.
Work on “The Mangle” ~ an outline of a novel on my mother and father and based around an art exhibition.Possible entry for NaNOWriMo 2008.
Work on Blog sites with more regularity this year. Drop first experimental site and regroup around “Blogger”. Discuss with Jules. Discuss before end of January with Will/Wendy the prospect of a blog through French Entree.
Work up the poetry I have and produce a Book ready to give to members of the family & friends. Based on places I’ve lived and persons I’ve known.~ “Personal Places”.
Goddard/Smallman/Taylor/Dudley/Meredith Family Tree ~ get others involved eg Peter, David, Adrian, etc in developing and sharpening what I already have on line in “Find my Past”.Complete research by December 2008.
I have slimmed down from 15 stone 4 pounds to 14 stone 7 pounds. I aim to lose another 1 stone by end of February 2008 through diet and exrcise ie walking & garden work.
Aim to sell house in France by September 2008. Decide on next location prior to this ~ but I would support Carol’s idea of a trip to USA/Canada and then our final move to a location that is ideal for us both in the UK with something small in France.......or the other way round?????
Bear in mind if we return to UK the need to secure a place on a degree copurse in Art. Eg University College of Wales, Carmarthen.
For this year only ~ Better start taking seriously the learning of French ~ incremental improvements each month. Produce a schedule [ See elsewhere] to support this. Aim for an “intermediary” level by the Summer.
Work on my sketchbooks ~ in readiness for Art School. Produce 5 new sketchbooks based on our experiences in France ~ called “The French Interlude” by August, 2008.
Support all the children & grandchildren as needs arise.
Be particularly supportive of Catherine & Angharad in their pregnancies.
Return to UK to see baby in March, 2008.
Check all our cameras to see what is working by mid January and use as part of sketchbook work after that.
Keep my beard well into the Spring 2008
Simplify our lives by selling/giving to charity those items which clutter our house and our lives.
Maintain & develop our friendships in France & UK..
Finish “Desrt Island Disc” Choices And record the programme.
Work for a successful launch of Connect FF and step down in April 2008.
Work for the success of the St Yrieix Book Club and read at least 12 books this yeat ~ 2008.
Support Carol's aims for 2008.
Vernon Goddard
Re-work the novel “One death etc” and have in a shape ready for publishing by September 2008.
Take part in "Script Frenzy" in April ~ sign up now ~ 1st Jan. Intention is to produce a stage play on a subject not yet chosen ~ and complete the project aim ie 200 pages of script by end of April 2008.
Work on “The Mangle” ~ an outline of a novel on my mother and father and based around an art exhibition.Possible entry for NaNOWriMo 2008.
Work on Blog sites with more regularity this year. Drop first experimental site and regroup around “Blogger”. Discuss with Jules. Discuss before end of January with Will/Wendy the prospect of a blog through French Entree.
Work up the poetry I have and produce a Book ready to give to members of the family & friends. Based on places I’ve lived and persons I’ve known.~ “Personal Places”.
Goddard/Smallman/Taylor/Dudley/Meredith Family Tree ~ get others involved eg Peter, David, Adrian, etc in developing and sharpening what I already have on line in “Find my Past”.Complete research by December 2008.
I have slimmed down from 15 stone 4 pounds to 14 stone 7 pounds. I aim to lose another 1 stone by end of February 2008 through diet and exrcise ie walking & garden work.
Aim to sell house in France by September 2008. Decide on next location prior to this ~ but I would support Carol’s idea of a trip to USA/Canada and then our final move to a location that is ideal for us both in the UK with something small in France.......or the other way round?????
Bear in mind if we return to UK the need to secure a place on a degree copurse in Art. Eg University College of Wales, Carmarthen.
For this year only ~ Better start taking seriously the learning of French ~ incremental improvements each month. Produce a schedule [ See elsewhere] to support this. Aim for an “intermediary” level by the Summer.
Work on my sketchbooks ~ in readiness for Art School. Produce 5 new sketchbooks based on our experiences in France ~ called “The French Interlude” by August, 2008.
Support all the children & grandchildren as needs arise.
Be particularly supportive of Catherine & Angharad in their pregnancies.
Return to UK to see baby in March, 2008.
Check all our cameras to see what is working by mid January and use as part of sketchbook work after that.
Keep my beard well into the Spring 2008
Simplify our lives by selling/giving to charity those items which clutter our house and our lives.
Maintain & develop our friendships in France & UK..
Finish “Desrt Island Disc” Choices And record the programme.
Work for a successful launch of Connect FF and step down in April 2008.
Work for the success of the St Yrieix Book Club and read at least 12 books this yeat ~ 2008.
Support Carol's aims for 2008.
Vernon Goddard
Monday 24 December 2007
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