Poetry of Loss

Literature Wales was commissioned by Cymru’n CofioWales Remembers 1914‑1918 to host a series of commemorative events in Wales, Flanders and Ireland. A writers’ residency exchange led to the poet Nerys Williams spending time in Passa Porta (the international house of literature in Brussels), and Antwerp writer Peter Theunynck undertaking a residency in Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre in north Wales.

An evening of poetry, music and discussion took place in Passa Porta with poets and musicians from Wales and Flanders. Ifor ap Glyn, the National Poet of Wales was commissioned to write a multimedia poetry show and Y Gadair Wag / The Empty Chair toured Wales and Ireland. A poetry evening was also held in Dublin as well as a workshop for east Dublin secondary school pupils. The Speaker of the Flemish Parliament, Jan Peumans, and a delegation also visited Wales. A commemorative event at the Senedd was held, which included the exchange of reciprocal gifts. The Llywydd and the Minster for Culture, Tourism and Sport presented an artwork entitled ‘Chinook’ from the series Hawk and Helicopter 2010 by renowned Welsh artist Osi Rhys Osmond to the people of Flanders, and the Speaker of the Flemish Parliament presented a chair designed by students of Thomas More’s school of furniture design to the people of Wales. A symposium on the shared history of Wales and Flanders during the First World War was arranged by Cardiff University at the Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay. The symposium was opened by Y Llywydd and the Speaker of the Flemish Parliament. The chair designed by the students sits atop a plinth manufactured by Simon O’Rourke Ltd, and is made of Welsh oak sourced from Yr Ysgwrn.

Left top: The ‘Chinook’ painting on display at the event in the Senedd © Literature Wales / Geoffrey Fritsch Photographie Left: Poetry of Loss event at Passa Porta, Brussels with Nerys Williams, Patrick McGuinness, National Poet of Wales Ifor ap Glyn, Geert Buelens and Literature Wales’ Chief Executive Lleucu Siencyn © Literature Wales / Geoffrey Fritsch Photographie