Here are two poems from the pen of one of my favourite poets Idris Davies, who was born on this day, January 6th 1905, in Rhymney. His writings in English and Welsh reflected the idealism and protest of people during a time of great economic, social religious change. In books like The Angry Summer and Gwalia Deserta, Idris Davies did more than just write poetry, he captured the essential dignity of the working man and woman. No other writer has ever come close to expressing the sadness and the depression of the Welsh valleys at that particular moment in time.
Many of his poems were full of anger and rage that release his strong socialist faith, but was more than capable of releasing poems of great tenderness and comfort as the following two examples prove. Enjoy.
I have written about him in a little bit more detail here earlier, he remains a huge influence on me :- Idris Davies -Poet of the people
https://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/idris-davies-poet-of-people.html
From The Collected Poems of Idris Davies, edited by Islwyn Jenkins, published by Gwasg Gomer., 1972
THE HEART OF A DREAMER
I broke my heart in five pieces
And buried a part by the sea
And I hid a part in the mountains
And the third in the root of a tree,
And the fourth I gave to a singer
Who share his wild ecstasy,
But the best I gave to a woman
Who gave all her heart to me.
LOVE LASTS LONGER
Love lasts longer than the roses,
Love is warmer than the wine,
Love is wilder than the whirlwind,
And O that love were mine !
Love is older than the mountains,
Love is fresher than the ides,
Love is sweeter than the lilies,
And O that love were mine!
Love is stronger than the granite,
Love is gentler than a sigh,
Love is richer than the rubies,
And O that love were mine!
Love lasts longer than the roses,
And O that love were mine...
1937
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