Dydd Dylan / Dylan Day

Sunday 14th May was International Dylan Thomas Day with some wonderful events happening across Wales, the UK and beyond. I love Dylan Thomas’s lyrical approach to poetry (and life) and so being invited to be part of the celebrations was an honour.

It can be too easy at times to get caught up in all the stresses of juggling work when being self-employed, and I’m getting better these days at taking time to stop and enjoy the engaging projects I’m invited to be a part of that are dreamed into the world by some truly creative people. That Sunday I got to work in a castle, immerse in the words of Dylan Thomas and share this with the families who dropped by, before readingĀ  poetry in the chapel along with National Poet of Wales, Ifor ap Glyn.

He is a terrific performer and, as I’m a Welsh learner, any opportunity to hear the language spoken out loud is great, but to hear poetry is just wonderful. Two of Ifor’s books are now sat on my desk – I find poery the most difficult element of learning a new language because it so malleable and obtuse (which is also why I love poetry) so these will take me some time to digest, thankfully Ifor’s also sent me some translations to be getting along with. I am a lucky poet.

Thanks also go to the lovely and hard-working Mab Jones for arranging the day and to Miriam Williams from Ty Newydd for being our wing-woman!