Postcard from Poland

Writer and poet Llŷr Gwyn Lewis, has been selected as on of the Ten New Voices for 2017. Read his postcard from Stacja Literatura 22 in Poland, organised by Biuro Literackie.

‘Mes evolucionejam atpakal’, medd llinell o gerdd un o feirdd Latfia y ces gyfarfod â nhw yn Riga. A sut mae cyfieithu hynny? ‘Rydan ni’n esblygu am ‘nôl’, efallai. Ar y cyfryngau gartref dyma nhw’n dangos clipiau o Gymry ifanc yn credu mai ‘esblygu am ‘nôl’ ydy ystyr y gair ‘devolution’. Ydyn nhw’n nes at y gwir nag a wyddan nhw? Yng Ngwlad Pwyl mae’r ŵyl yn llawn ebychiadau o bryder am y naid tua’r dde mae’r wlad wrthi’n ei chymryd – camau enbyd am ‘nôl, mi feddyliech. A Jacob Rees-Mogg yn llenwi’n sgriniau ninnau gartref, yn atsain o gam i’r un cyfeiriad. Diolch byth felly am y gornel hon o’r wlad, yn Stronie Śląskie, lle daw beirdd ac anarchwyr ynghyd i drafod llên, a ffyrdd o newid pethau, ac yfed llaeth mwnci merwinol o gryf; diolch byth am Riga, lle mae’r wlad yn ifanc ac eto’n hen, yn hyderus ynddi’i hun a’i chelfyddyd, ac yn mynnu siarad ei hiaith ei hun; am gael cyfarfod yr Albanwyr sy’n ddyfeisgar o hyd yn eu ffyrdd o wneud i bethau ddigwydd – a diolch am gael dod nôl i Gymru a’r syniadau hyn i gyd yn berwi yn fy mhen, ugain mlynedd ar ôl i ninnau esblygu, ryw chydig gamau, yn ein blaenau.

Llŷr Gwyn Lewis

Postcard from Barcelona

Writer and poet Llŷr Gwyn Lewis, has been selected as on of the Ten New Voices for 2017. Read his postcard from the Kosmopolis literary festival held at the Barcelona Centre of Contemporary Culture, held between 22-26 March 2017.

It’s pleasing, on one level, that the rest of Europe don’t seem too bothered that we are about to leave the EU. They see us foolish, however they have other problems to worry about.

Some of our company have already left for London to march for the ideal that is still a reality here, tomorrow morning, L and I will return to Bristol, and Cardiff, to the triggering of article 50.

But we haven’t left Europe, and we won’t either. As long as we are able to come to the Barcelonas of the world, to share stories and poems and food and drink and place names, Wales and the Welsh language, will be part of Europe again.

Warm regards,

Llŷr

Another postcard from Kiel

Being in the middle of it all, it's easily forgotten sometimes that we are in fact on the outside. We therefore thank you for the opportunity to bring Wales back to the middle of Europe's multilanguage exchange by the means of various conversations, cups of tea and bottles of wine - with English being the common second language fluttering between us. Kindest regards, Llŷr Gwyn Lewis & Lefi Gruffudd