Waldo: Bardd y Lleiafrif Aneirif
In her lecture ‘Y Lleiafrif Aneirif’ (Immense Minority) at Aberystwyth, Friday September 27, Menna Elfyn drew attention to the way Waldo asks a series of questions in his poems without revealing any answers. She insisted that all poets ask questions in their poems, or else ‘why’ compose anything in the first place. The open ended questions allow the readers to give their own answers which can be varied. The exception within Waldo’s output is the poem ‘Pa Beth yw Dyn?’ (What is Man?). And there are questions as well to which there are no answers.
She referred to Jacqueline Rose’s book ‘Why War?’ stating that it is an impossible question to answer. Menna also suggested that part of the answer might be found in reciting poems such as ‘Y Tangnefeddwyr’ (The Peacemakers) over and over – “a poem that can be described as a shield with its stance regarding sharing testimony”. The personal experience being shared reaches towards the collective view, giving others the chance to ponder upon whatever other alternative there might be to war.
English translation of the Annual Lecture 2024 – Menna Elfyn
Menna mentioned her own personal interaction with Waldo the man. When she was nine years of age her older sister announced at the supper table that she would be going to see Waldo leaving Swansea prison the following day. It was explained to her that Waldo was a poet. However she could not reconcile the concept of a poet inside a prison amidst ‘bad’ men.
A section of the audience at the Lecture
She mentioned further the recent occasion when she picked up one of her several copies of ‘Dail Pren’ and found inside a translation of ‘Geneth Ifanc’ (Young Girl) in her father’s handwriting. She did not know why her father had penned a translation unless it was associated with her sister’s year-long bed-ridden illness. She said the translation along with her brother’s translation of the poem ‘O Bridd’ (O Soil), which she found just as unexpectedly, would be included in her volume ‘In Two Fields: Poems by Waldo Williams in English translation’ to be published next year.
She explained that Waldo, just as in the case of Juan Ramón Jiménez, is a poet who represents ‘the myriad minorities’, as the Spanish poet who is the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, also presented his poems to the ‘immense minority’. She also referred to Waldo’s ability to ‘furlough’ by distancing himself from everything and everybody in order to contemplate as he did in that room which he rented in the village of Thickthorn when he lived in the Lyneham area.
What Menna Elfyn’s comments about a poet’s responsibility to ask questions showed is that she herself as a poet is on the same plane as Waldo. Think of her poem ‘Holiadur y Môr’ (The Sea Questionnaire) which is much more than just a description of the sea and the beach. Eternal questions are asked. What is a nation? What is life? And where does the Supreme Being come into all this? And of course the Supreme Being is a female according to Menna.
Similarly Waldo’s ‘Mewn Dau Gae’ (In Two Fields) is much more than a description of two fields. “From where did the sea of light come from . . .” he asks. And the way the poem ‘Holiadur y Môr’ then ends: “Just by the wave who is the rock samphire who offers corral blue delicacies? Waldoish.
The splendid hard cover volume of lectures
Following the lecture a hard cover book of all the lectures delivered so far was launched. It retails at £30 and contains two lectures in English by Rowan Williams and M. Wynn Thomas. It can be purchased directly from Cymdeithas Waldo by contacting Alun Ifans 01437 532603 alunifans@hotmail.com The book should adorn every coffee table. That means the lectures are available now to be read, and to be heard on this website.
The lecture was held on the University College campus at Aberystwyth and the following day a ‘Waldo Walk’ was organised by Menter Iaith Sir Benfro from Bethel Vestry, Mynachlog-ddu to Carreg Waldo and back. Then on September 30, the actual date of Waldo’s birthday, pupils from Ysgol Caer Elen, Haverfordwest, visited the stone to be greeted by torrential rain and mist. Neither Carn Gyfrwy nor Tal Mynydd could be seen.
Ysgol Caer Elen pupils had to retreat to their buses for shelter
Indeed Menna’s translation of the poem ‘Preseli’ was read by Siôn Jenkins at a concert held at Pisga Chapel, Llandysilio, on Friday, May 10. It was at the concert that the first performance of composer Eric Jones’ arrangement of the poem ‘Preseli was sung by Côr Cymysg Crymych.
Cymdeithas Waldo opposes the development at Brawdy
Cymdeithas Waldo has added its voice to oppose locating huge radar dishes at Brawdy near St Davids.
As part of an international agreement between Britain, Australia and the United States it is proposed to locate what is known as ‘Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability’ (DARC) on the St David’s peninsula.
The purpose of the 27 radar dishes, measuring 15 metres in width and 27 metres in height, will be to find and destroy ‘enemy’ satellites in space.
It is envisaged this could lead to several dangerous scenarios:
- create tons of debris circulating in space thus increasing the likelihood of accidents.
- endangering the health of people living in close proximity to the sources of radiation such as this radar camp and hence increasing the risk of developing cancerous ailments and other related illnesses.
- as it is obvious one of the main aims of the project is to ensure the military supremacy of the United States in space, it would undoubtedly increase the possibility of space wars and hence the world would be even more less safe than it is at the moment.
The pressure group PARC against DARC has already taken a lead in forming an opposition and will lobby the authorities not to give the development any planning permissions.
It was a comparatively easy decision for Cymdeithas Waldo to add its voice to the opposition on considering Waldo’s convictions as a pacifist and what the peninsula means in the context of our patron saint, David.