Poems blowing in the wind to remember Waldo Williams

It was on that date 50 years ago that Waldo Williams, regarded as one of the foremost 20th century poets in Wales, passed away. He was also a pacifist, a Quaker and a nationalist of conviction. He was born at Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. He taught himself Welsh when the family moved to Mynachlog-ddu in the north of the county in where his father was a primary school headteacher. He was a conscientious objector during the Second World War. He felt so strong in his opposition to the Korean War that he refused to pay his income tax. He was jailed on two occasions because of his pacifiscm. A memorial stone can be seen on the common near Mynachlog-ddu. He published one volume of poetry named ‘Dail Pren’ (Tree Leaves). That is why the suggestion has been made to place a line of his poetry on a label and hung as a leaf on a tree in memory of Waldo.

He also published a volume of children’s poetry along with E. Llwyd Williams, ‘Cerddi’r Plant’ (Children’s Poems). That is why junior school children are encouraged to choose their favourite line of poetry from among those poems to be hung as leaves.

Eirian Wyn Lewis, Cymdeithas Waldo Chairman said,

“much has been organised already this year to mark his death fifty years ago in 1971, and these symbolic leaves will bring us closer to the ideas he conveyed in his poems. There are so many lines to be chosen which are rich in meaning”.

More volumes have already been written about Waldo than almost any other Welsh language poet. Jim Perrin said of him:

“At his outstanding best, his verse has a mystical intensity and a calm beauty of vision that are powerfully sustaining and memorable.”

And according to John Osmond;

“Even read in translation – and Waldo has been fortunate in his translators – his poetry is of the highest quality in terms of intelligence, love, and above all a numinous awareness.”

Lovers of literature and Waldo admirers everywhere are encouraged to take part in this celebration of Waldo’s life on May 20th. It is envisaged a wide assortment of poetic lines written on labels will be blowing in the wind on trees all over Wales.

More information can be found on www.waldowilliams.com