I am BBC Radio Cymru’s Poet of the Month for October 2017. This was announced on Shân Cothi’s morning show on Monday 2 October.
Here I’ll publish the Welsh poems which I will publish as part of this work. You can also see the work of other poets who have fulfilled the duties of Poet of the month here.
I will be updating this page with new content as the month passes.
Poems by Poet of the Month
1. Catalunya
The Referendum for Catalonia’s Independence was held on the first day of October. The Spanish civil guard treated peaceful voters exercising their democratic right with a heavy hand. Whilst watching, I realised this was not about independence but the human rights of the people of Catalonia. I followed the events on Twitter during the day and this poem is my response to what I saw.
Heddiw fe gywilyddiais.
Bron nad rhyfel a welais
a’i law drom heb gelu’i drais.
I fynnu’u hawl yn fan hyn
daw’n drech na’r bwled wedyn
y miloedd coch a melyn.
Felyn a choch difalais;
ewch i’r blwch, chi’r rhai heb lais,
o’r stryd waedlyd â’ch pleidlais.
‘No’ neu ‘Sí’, nid gormes yw
eto’ch haeddiant chi heddiw.
Awr i’w ddweud yn rhydd ydyw.