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Welsh writer Dave Lewis has just published his new book Sawing Fallen Logs For Ladybird Houses , a collection of poetry split into five sections and accompanied by photographs on the authors web site. The collection contains the poem Learning in Gaps which was highly commended in the New Writer competition judged by Helen Ivory.
Praise for Sawing Fallen Logs:
"From the first eponymously titled poem, we realise that Dave Lewis's work possesses an energy and freshness that lifts his imagery and empathy way above the work of many less ambitious poets. The element of surprise in each poem, however short, is even more startling coming as it does from such uncluttered writing. Last lines are an example, while phrases such as trees as tall as ships, a severe lack of hares, the brittle grass of misunderstanding... will surely enhance the readers' own perceptions of the world around them. This collection's structure too, works well under its five separate headings, and the diverse forms used in several poems adds visual variety. A wonderful read. Buy it!"
Sally Spedding
"Dave Lewis is a vital voice of the Valleys, in touch with both the streets and the natural world. His free-flowing verse makes him a Welsh son of the Beats."
Mike Jenkins
Dave Lewis has done it again! A superb collection of Zen-like poetry, not the usual pseudo-academic bullshit churned out by most of the arts council hangers-on but a cutting edge piece of art guaranteed to make us all sit up and take notice. A cyclic collection divided into five parts, each one able to stand alone yet each also flows easily into the next. We find ourselves transported from the beauty and fragility of nature past ex-lovers and exotic far off lands before finally returning home to the valleys and close family a wonderful sense of time and place. The last poems highlight an obsession with his local environment where sparse verse expertly pin-point what surrounds, influences and controls us all. This is another book to savour, full of surprises, but more importantly, full of answers in an ever distracting modern world.
Mark Davies
Dave Lewis is an accomplished photographer who moves easily between the beauty of an ecological landscape and the stark reality of urban decay.
Andrew Davies, The Gallowbirds
Dave is also competition organizerfor the Welsh Poetry Competition , an international event based in Pontypridd. You can purchase a copy of his third title, plus his other work from his website, Amazon, Welsh Books Council and all good booksellers. For more information visit the following websites:
Dave Lewis website www.david-lewis.co.uk
Welsh Poetry Competition www.welshpoetry.co.uk
Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod celebrates its 65th birthday with a massive giveaway for people from Bangor to Birmingham and Liverpool to Llangethi.
By Ceri Shaw, 2011-05-02
Llangollen Image via Wikipedia 
Image via Wikipedia Friday Evenings concert seesWest End andBroadway star, Ruthie Henshall, perform The Best of the West End featuring soloists from the London stage, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera. | Aberystwyth | Machynlleth |
| Bala | Manchester |
| Bangor | Market Drayton |
| Barmouth | Newcastle Under Lyme |
| Birmingham | Newtown |
| Blackburn | Northwich |
| Blackppol | Oldham |
| Bolton | Oswestry |
| Buxton | Porthmadog |
| Caernarfon | Poulton-le-Fylde |
| Chester | Preston |
| Colwyn Bay | Rhyl |
| Dudley | Shrewsbury |
| Flint | Southport |
| Glossop | St Helens |
| Halesowen | Stafford |
| Kidderminster | Stockport |
| Leominster | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Leyland | Stourbridge |
| Liverpool | Telford |
| Llandrindod Wells | Walsall |
| Llandudno | Welshppol |
| Llanon | West Bromwich |
| Ludlow | Wigan |
| Macclesfield | Wrexham |
- Pairs of Day Passes to the Llangollen International Musical Festival 2011 available at two for one price.
- Offer available from 2 nd May 16 th May.
- This offer is only available by calling the Eisteddfod box office on 01978 862001 and quoting 65
- Offer not available online, by email or post.
- Offer not available on season tickets, family tickets or in conjunction with any other offer.
Related articles
News From Howl Griff - Long weekend! Charity gig! Single release! Summer festival!
By Ceri Shaw, 2011-04-28
Royalist or republican, we all like a nice long weekend. And it's better when there's plenty of things to do. Allow us:
This Saturday, Howl Griff will be playing a gig for charity; on Monday, we release our latest single Bluebirds.
SATURDAY GIG FOR A KIDS' CHARITY
Saturday's gig is at Streatham's White Lion run by Music 4 Children, a charity dedicated to helping vulnerable kids world-wide. A lovely big ol' Victorian building on the Streatham High Road, The White Lion offers an enclosed beer garden and even accommodation. There are three bands on (including one from Italy!) and we're headlining. Entrance fee is via a charitable donation.
White Lion website: http://www.whitelion.org.uk/
White Lion's Google Maps page (directions, transport etc): http://tinyurl.com/3swlfkj
LAUREN LAVERNE LOVES OUR NEW SINGLE
On Monday we release Bluebirds, from the album The Hum. The single has already been played several times on radio stations from California's renowned KCRW to BBC 6 music whose Lauren Laverne called it "lush from a new band we love".
A driving Krautrock arrangement opens up into a typical harmony-laden melodic HG construction, with lyrics inspired by recording The Hum a goal-kick from Cardiff City's Ninian Park during the home side's FA Cup clash against Arsenal, as we explained to the South Wales Echo in a recent interview.
Bluebirds video (and many others): http://www.youtube.com/HowlGriff
South Wales Echo: http://tinyurl.com/63hm9tk
BUY IT ON iTUNES!: http://tinyurl.com/iTunesHowlGriff
AND IN SUMMER
Further ahead, we're very glad to confirm our first festival booking of the summer - at Buckinghamshire's Penn Festival on July 9/10. Among the other acts performing will be Dodgy, The Farm, Snap and Doctor and the Medics tickets are 29 for the day, 53 for the weekend with discounts for teenagers and families and under-12s free.
See the link below for more details on Penn - and keep in touch for more news about festivals this summer.
http://www.pennfestival.com/
That's it for now - hope to see you Saturday
--
HOWL GRIFF
Website: http://www.HowlGriff.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/HowlGriff
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/HowlGriff
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HowlGriff
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HowlGriff
Merchandise: http://howlgriffshop.spreadshirt.net
We are: Hywel Griffiths, Nick Moore,
Gary Parkinson, Steve Kennedy and you
Michael Crawford OBE and Terry Waite CBE send good wishes to children of North Wales and Liverpool
By Ceri Shaw, 2011-04-28
 |
| Barrie Harwood Photography |
Latest news from Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, North Wales
Newyddion diweddaraf o Rhuddlan, Sir Ddinbych, Gogledd Cymru
http://www.natur-rhuddlan.com/
Rhuddlan Local Nature Reserve website come and visit 24.7
Gwefan Gwarchodfa Natur Leol Rhuddlan ymwelwch ni 24.7
Read about Welsh elements in the Royal Wedding and the Prince's love of Anglesey:
The Royal Couple
"The groom, Prince William of Wales. and his bride-to-be Catherine Middleton live on the Island of Anglesey, Wales. William has a job with the Royal Air Force (RAF). Known as Flight Lt. Wales, William is a helicopter pilot of RAF Valley in Anglesey where he helps out with mountain resuce, the coastguard and air amublancer serices.
"I am very much looking forward to spending the first part of married life on Anglesey, It's been a fantastic time, I have very much enjoyed it and so has Catherine; she has loved being here. We've had an extremely warm welcome, couldn't have asked for better... So I couldn't say anything more positive about Anglesey.."
Read more here ( pdf ):- Welsh Royal Wedding
Dyfed-Powys Police is putting on its website the requests it receives under the Act, and the responses it gives.
It reveals 14 recorded UFO sightings in the past five years, along with 26 reports of ghosts, 11 witches - and two of zombies and vampires respectively.
But one zombie report turned out to be in a horror film being shot in Pembrey.
Tom Jones Karaoke With 'Live' Panty Throwing At The Henry Morgan Welsh Pirate Bar
By Ceri Shaw, 2011-04-25
AmeriCymru and A Raven Above Press are pleased and proud to announce that Oberon's Three Penny Tavern will be providing alcoholic refreshment at the third West Coast Eisteddfod in September. The West Coast Eisteddfod will take place at the Barnsdall Park Art Center in L.A. between Friday September 23rd and Sunday September 25th. A wide selection of beers and wines will be on offer at the 'Henry Morgan Welsh Pirate Bar' and organizers hope to organize a full program of pub style entertainment including:-
1. An AmeriCymru drinking team 5 a side 'Boat Race' challenge.
2. A 'Welsh ( Male ) National Costume Competition'. It is hoped that this event will feature an appearance by guru, raconteur, actor, poet and international fashion model David Garland Jones . Participation by members of the general public and Eisteddfod attendees is welcome.
AND 3. Tom Jones karaoke with 'live' panty throwing. Panties will be provided by the Esiteddfod organizers and will be made available to bar patrons at no charge!
Follow our announcements for further details of these and other sophisticated cultural activities at the Welsh Pirate Bar on AmeriCymru or on the AmeriCymru Blog.West Coast Eisteddfod Schedule:- Friday Saturday Sunday
Oberons Three-Penny Tavern is the accumulated effort of one of Jordan Mackays longest-running dreams to run a Shakespearean tavern in Ashland, Oregon! So if you enjoy the thought of armored bouncers, juggling musicians, great plays, fantastic beers and beautiful serving wenches, come belly up to the bar and enjoy a night at Oberons!
The hilltop town of Shaftesbury will be alive to the sound of music on Saturday (April 30) when Cor Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Choir) pay a welcome return visit.
This will be the famous Welsh choirs eighth appearance in Shaftesbury.
Concert organiser Susan Ballett explained: They first came at the invitation of St James Church (down over the hill in the small parish of St James), in the late 1980s and have managed to fit in return visits every three or four years ever since to the delight of everyone who hears them
The concerts are always held in the Shaftesbury School, which is the only venue locally large enough to hold the number of music lovers who are always anxious to enjoy their very special sound.
Under the baton of D Eifion Thomas, the choir never fails to raise the benchmark even higher.
It is something of a tradition that the choirs visit sees the introduction of guest artistes - usually local students on the threshold of a musical career.
This year there will be two Daniel Bovey, who plays classical guitar, and Bryony Purdue, a soprano singer.
Tickets are priced at 12.50 and are available at Reynolds shoe repair shop at the bottom of Shaftesbury town, at Hine and Parsons opposite the Town Hall, or by ringing 01747 854294.
The concert begins at 7pm and there is plenty of car parking either at the school or in the immediate area.
Cor Meibion Llanelli musical director Mr Thomas said the choirs programme would include a mix of traditional Welsh items alongside songs from the shows and some Negro spirituals.
It really is a varied programme with something for everyone. We thoroughly enjoy our visits to Shaftesbury and it is a great chance to meet up with Welsh exiles who may be feeling that hiraeth or longing for their homeland of Wales.
