Mike Jenkins - Welsh Poet & Author
  • Mike's Blog
  • New Book!
  • About Mike
  • Contact
  • What's the point?
  • The Climbing Tree
  • The Fugitive Three
  • Publications
  • Red Poets

'RED  POETS'  LAUNCH

9/21/2013

1 Comment

 
PictureCover of issue 19, by Gus Payne
   There's a new currency in Merthyr and it's called the 'Red Poets' magazine!
   Last Thursday, after the launch of issue 19 at The Imp in Pontmorlais, I took a taxi home.
   The driver was an ex-pupil who asked about the event and then proceeded to quote a gritty poem he'd composed while at Pen-y-dre about life on the Gurnos estate.
   I was on a high, stimulated more by the success of the evening than a few pints of Pale Ale and impressed with his rap-like delivery.
   'Will you take the mag. as payment?' I chanced.
   'Yeah, of course! Look forward to reading it.'
   This was the culmination of a marvellous night, despite missing stalwarts like Tim Richards (holidays) and John Williams due to illness.
   There were many excellent poems performed by the likes of Julie Pritchard, Chris O'Neill, Jonathan Edwards and Mair Pitt and the Bartzman even did 'Winging It'.
   I'd like to thank Marc Jones for his hard work as co-editor and Gus Payne for a most thought-provoking and arresting cover; also Gerhard Kress for the back cover image.
   Marc wrote an Obituary for Alun Hughes, a regular contributor and astonishing character who died recently. I was astounded to find out about his close links with the ANC and his work for Naval Counter-Intelligence in the 2nd World War.
   I didn't realise that - like Dowlais historian Gwyn Alf Williams - he joined Plaid Cymru in his later years. He was always a staunch socialist and republican.
   The whole evening was a celebration of poetry and music and Jamie Bevan and Steve Shipman were so good they even drew in a couple of German tourists to experience Merthyr culture.
   Jamie's new material ( including one in English!) was as stirring as ever and Steve's cover versions of the likes of Woody Guthrie were expertly executed. His case full of mouth-harps made my old one in 'E' seem like something from the Antiques Roadshow!
   The issue includes three poems in Welsh and we should have several again in the next one.
   Phil Knight's article makes a strong case not just for a Green Dylan Thomas, but a fervently republican one as well. He claims that Carlo being made patron of the Dylan Thomas Centenary festival next year would have made the man laugh and vomit at the same time!
  In view of the present campaign to save the Chartist Mural in Newport from destruction, Jonathan Edwards' poem is timely and an excellent reminder of how important that is as a  commemoration of Welsh history.
   Red Poets are back on the road this autumn with up-coming gigs at the Castle Hotel, Tredegar on Oct. 30th and Oxfam Bookshop in Swansea on Nov. 20th.
   Next year we'll be publishing a book of stroppy left-wing verse from Tim Richards and we hope to produce a book every year as well as magazine. 
   As London-based socialist poet Owen Gallagher  has said 'RED POETS' is the socialist poetry magazine.......possibly the only one in these islands.
   You can order a copy from myself or the website  www.RedPoets.org  for £5 (plus P & P).


                


Crawlin on Em’tee



Now I know wha-a Big Society is really,

it’s like a ewge ole in-a stomachs

of my small famlee.


My two kids, Jade an Shania,

I carn afford t feed em no more,

school olidays ‘re worse ‘an ever.


I tried f’r jobs, got big ideas,

but arf a time don’ even yer :

slike droppin paper down a disewsed pit.


My mam as t work, my dad’s on sick ;

las thing I want is charitee,

but the Food Bank ave saved me.


‘Mam, I’m starvin! Wha’s f’  tea?’

Beans, beans an more beans ;

all yew yer on telly’s ‘bout obesity.


Shania an Jade are dead scrawny,

there’s a big ole in theyer lives,

theyr crawlin, not runnin, on em’tee.



   

1 Comment
Yepi link
4/9/2014 01:29:55 pm

I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it. I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff on your post.

Reply



Leave a Reply.



    Archives

    November 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from johnharveypegg, Dai Lygad, joncandy, victoriapeckham, David Holt London, aeneastudio, fromthevalleys-, Metro Centric, andymag, David Bergin Photography, villunderlondon, @markheybo, joncandy, Martin Pettitt, Between the Shadows, joncandy, johnkell, olivia.barrie, villunderlondon, Lake Worth, MittenStatePhototog, frankieleon, robynejay, joncandy, mcaretaker, Thomas Leuthard, Knight Foundation, joncandy, Joybot, brownpau, Iburiedpaul, villunderlondon, amit_gaur, abegum, simonw92, beeveephoto, Aislinn Ritchie, Shannon Green Photography, joncandy, Nick J Webb, Vish Menon, AberCJ, gcoldironjr2003, joncandy, World Can't Wait, jonl1973, Watt_Dabney, petejam70, Kerndav, MJ Klaver, joncandy, Daquella manera, spratt504, joncandy, ashleigh290, Glyn Lowe Photoworks., afanatochka, r.nial.bradshaw, themendingnews, rikkis_refuge, Matthew Straubmuller, joncandy, onnola, final gather, funktionhouse, marioanima, joncandy, Dai Lygad, joncandy, Guttorm Flatabø, brittreints, garryknight, villunderlondon, wonker, Martin Pettitt, joncandy, tnarik, AJC1, simonw92, wardyboy400, joncandy, Bombardier, joncandy, Cargo Cult, joncandy, joncandy, SeanOConnor2010, Feral78, comedy_nose, Abode of Chaos, mkairishstudies, joncandy, avail, Jörg Weingrill, Gwydion M. Williams, Leshaines123, KiltBear, eisenbahner, Capt' Gorgeous, Francis Storr, New Chemical History, Matthew Black, jc.winkler, Gwenael Kere, Karen Roe