Poetry Wales Explained

Poetry Wales
Editor:Zoë Brigley
Editor Title:Editor
Frequency:Triannually
Category:Poetry
Publisher:Seren
Founder:Meic Stephens
Firstdate:Spring 1965
Country:Wales
Based:Bridgend
Language:English

Poetry Wales is a triannual poetry magazine published in Bridgend, Wales. Founded by Meic Stephens and now published by Seren, it is edited by Zoë Brigley. Since its first publication in 1965, the magazine has built an international reputation for excellent poems, features and reviews from Wales and beyond.[1] The magazine is published in print and online.

History

Poetry Wales was founded by Meic Stephens in 1965,[2] and has since been edited by Sam Adams,[3] John Powell Ward,[4] [5] Cary Archard,[6] Mike Jenkins,[7] Richard Poole,[8] [9] Robert Minhinnick, Zoë Skoulding,[10] [11] [12] Nia Davies and Jonathan Edwards. In August 2021, the magazine appointed its first ever joint editors in Zoë Brigley and Marvin Thompson.[13] However, Thompson stepped down from the role three weeks later.[14] Since then, Brigley has introduced a scheme where a series of contributing editors join the magazine for a couple of issues, including Vicky Morris,[15] Isabelle Baafi,[16] Hannah Hodgson,[17] [18] Taylor Edmonds,[19] [20] Tangie Mitchell, and Grug Muse.[21] George Sandifer-Smith also became Reviews Editor in 2022.

Former guest editors of individual issues include Deryn Rees-Jones, Stephen Knight, Gwyneth Lewis, Paul Henry and Duncan Bush.

Former editor Cary Archard also founded Poetry Wales Press, which now trades under the name Seren Books.

Poetry Wales is supported by Swansea University and has a Creative Partnership with Aberystwyth University's Institute of Literature, Languages and Creative Arts.[22] Along with two other literary magazines in Wales, New Welsh Review and Planet, Poetry Wales receives funding from the Welsh Books Council.

Recent Issues

Poetry Wales has published 212 issues and counting of its magazine. The magazine is published in yearly volumes, previously over 4 seasonal issues, and now over 3 issues published in Winter, Spring and Summer.

!Issue!Publication Date!Editor!Contributors
59.3Spring 2024Zoë Brigley
  • Conversations Across Borders: Home in a Time of Ecological Emergency with Ariana Benson, Tangie Mitchell & Taylor Edmonds
  • A Selection of Poems Chosen by Taylor Edmonds
  • How It Feels on My Skin: A Conversation Between L. Kiew & Khairani Barokka
  • A Selection of Poems Chosen by Tangie Mitchell
  • 'Not Alone in Loss... Simply Lonely': Meditations on Poetry & the Possibility (Or Not) of Human Rights
  • Duos: Jo Bratten & Sekhar Banerjee
59.2Winter 2023Zoë Brigley
  • Doctor & Magician: A Tribute to Dannie Abse on the Centenary of His Birth
read the full feature here
  • An Interview with Lynne Hjelmgaard & Penelope Shuttle
  • Translations of Fabio Morábito by Richard Gwyn
  • Just Your Imagination: Christodoulos Makris investigates the case of the absent elusive Irish avant-garde
  • Tangie Mitchell: A Poetry Workshop on Nightlife, Love and (Be)Longing
  • Wales Poetry Award Winners
  • Duos: Virgil Suárez & Jo Mazelis
59.1Summer 2023Zoë Brigley
  • On Value, Pay and Problems of Capitalism: Poets Talk About the Challenges of Economic Stress
  • In Such Timelessness: Robert Minhinnick Presents Unpublished Poems by Duncan Bush
  • Words and Images from the South Wales Valleys
  • Cultivating the Strange: A Poetry Workshop on Using Surprise by John McCullough
  • Duos: Poems in Conversation: Andrea Witzke Slot and Srivinas Mandavilli
58.3Spring 2023Zoë Brigley and Grug Muse
  • A Translation of Menna Elfyn's 'Mercy' by Emma Baines
  • A Selection of Poems Selected by Grug Muse
  • Conversations Across Borders: Nia Morais & Gwen Nell Westerman Discuss Language
  • Extracts from a Sequence of Latin American Sonnets by Leo Boix
  • Iestyn Tyne: A Creative Writing Workshop Inspired by T.H. Parry-Williams
  • Duos: Poems in Conversations
58.2Winter 2022Zoë Brigley and Taylor Edmonds
  • Durre Shawar: The Language of Our Stories
  • A selection of poems edited by Taylor Edmonds
  • Conversations Across Borders: Nadia Sarwar-Skuse & Sampurna Chattarji
  • Propping Open the Door: Taylor Edmonds interviews Hanan Issa, National Poet of Wales
  • Creative Writing Workshop: Nick Makoha on Listening
58.1Summer 2022Zoë Brigley, Hannah Hodgson and Taylor EdmondsReviews Editor: George Sandifer-Smith
  • The Lyric is not Sufficient: The editors of 58.1 talk with The Cyborg Jillian Weise
  • Gwyneth Lewis: Time in Health and Poetry: Chronic illness in art and the body
  • Bethany Pope: A Tribute to Grant Tarbard
  • Shalini Sengupta: If a Body Falls Out of the Job Market
  • Hannah Hodgson: A Creative Writing Workshop on Navigating the Body
57.3Spring 2022Zoë Brigley and Hannah HodgsonJenny Mitchell: How Being a Girl Poet Saved My Life, Graham Hartil and Phil Maillard on the Legacy of Chris Torrance, Kim Moore on Poetry and Intimate Partner Violence, Felicia Rose Chavez: Writing Workshop Facing Our Fear.
57.2Winter 2021Zoë BrigleyReviews Editor: Isabelle BaafiJohn Kinsella

Copying, Imitation, But Not Reproduction, Poems Selected by Isabelle Baafi, The Anti-racist Writing Workshop with Felicia Rose Chavez: Social Justice Writing & Teaching Resources3, A Selection of New Poems by Welsh Writers, Kristian Evans: Writing Workshop: Writing the 'More-than-human', Ledbury Poetry Critics Review Special.

57.1Summer 2021Zoë Brigley and Vicky MorrisFeatures: Poets on Sport, April Yee Interviews Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Cris Paul: Disruptions, Iconoclasts, and Futurists, Wales Poetry Award Winners, Kate Clanchy in Conversationwith Vicky Morris, Vicky Morris: Reading the Child Self, Hannah Lowe: Writing the Child Self.
56.3Spring 2021Jonathan EdwardsFeatures: Zoë Brigley, Kristian Evans, Robert Minhinnick, Philip Gross, Cyril Jones, Valerie Coffin Price, Carl Griffin, Hilary Watson, Seàn Hewitt, Phil JonesReviews: April Yee, Stephen Payne, Rhys Owain Williams, Zoë Wells

Poems: Sheenagh Pugh, Hilary Watson, April Yee, Stephen Payne, Philip Gross, Graham Mort, Sascha Aurora Akhtar, Nicholas McGaughey, Matthew Haigh, Shauna Robertson, Harriet Truscott, Tracey Rhys, Zoe Wells, Katherine Stockton, Zoe Brigley, Seán Hewitt, Estelle Price, Fiona Benson, Edward Lee, Daisy Henwood, Kath Osgerby, Archie Capon, Rhys Owain Williams, Phil Jones, Jeanette Burton, Taz Rahman, Sarah Salway, Laura Seymour, Rae Howells, Kristian Evans, Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch, Joanna Ingham, Rebecca Farmer, Alycia Pirmohamed, Robert Walton, Jeremy Hooker, Amelia Eilersten, Jane Draycott, Judy Brown, Christopher Horton, Juliet Antill, Jennie Farley, Peter Carpenter, Robert Minhinnick, Carl Griffin, Valerie Coffin Price, Cyril Jones

56.2Winter 2020Jonathan EdwardsFeatures: Andrew McMillan, Tiffany AtkinsonPoems: Seán Hewitt, Tiffany Atkinson, Hannah Lowe, Alice Miller, Khairani Barokka, Carole Bromley, John McCullough, Penelope Shuttle, Jo Morris Dixon, Sarah Barnsley, Rae Howells, Josephine Corcoran, Merrie Joy Williams, Rishi Dastidar, Caleb Parkin, Damian Walford Davies, Abeer Ameer, John Freeman, James Giddings, Richie McCaffery, Amy Acre, Matt Nunn, David Hughes, Alan Gillis, Tamar Yoseloff, Amanda Rackstraw, Ranjit Hoskote, David Hawkins, Philip Williams, Paul Stephenson, Jeremy Page, Jane Bonnyman, Andrew McMillan, Jessica Mookherjee, Ailbhe Darcy, Cris Paul, Dai George, Katrina Naomi, Ben Ray, Ross Cogan, Peter Carpenter
56.1Summer 2020Jonathan EdwardsFeatures: Moniza Alvi, Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch Gareth Prior, Jeni Williams, John Gower, Cris PaulReviews: Dai George, John Greening, Kirsten Irving, P.C. Evans

Poems: Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch, Gareth Prior, Jeni Williams, Jon Gower, Moniza Alvi, Cris Paul, Nerys Williams, David Clarke, David Morley, Anna Woodford, Huw Jones, Llŷr Lewis, Joanna Ingham, Michael McKimm, Helen Tookey, Jannat Ahmed, Mari Ellis Dunning, Michael Arnold Williams, Tishani Doshi, Philip Gross, David Briggs, Carrie Etter, Nicholas McGaughey, Gareth Writer-Davies, Bryony Littlefair, Sampurna Chattarji, Luke Samuel Yates, Jon Stone, Kathy Miles, Benjamin Palmer, Ifor Thomas, Rob Miles, Paul Henry

55.3Spring 2020Jonathan EdwardsFeatures: Marvin Thompson, Di Slaney, Adam Sillman and Rhys Owain WilliamsPoems: John Freeman, Di Slaney, Joe Dunthorne, Annie Brechin, Ben Bransfield, Ben Rogers, Nerys Williams, Dai George, Abeer Ameer, Kerry Hardie, Alan Perry, Leo Temple, Elizabeth Porter, Jan Harris, Rhian Edwards, Susie Wild, Daniel Sluman, Rhiannon Hooson, Jill Munro, Stephen Payne, Taylor Edmonds, Richard Georges, Lauren Pope, Bethany Pope, Michael Loveday, Katrina Naomi, Peter Knaggs, Zillah Bowes, Jodie Hollander, Paul Stephenson, Kathy Miles, Tony Curtis, Zoë Wells
55.2January 2020Jonathan EdwardsFeatures: Gillian Clarke, Paul Henry, Arjunan Manuelpillai, David Greenslade, Wendy PrattReviews: Kate Noakes, David Clarke, Anna Lewis, Steve Whitaker

Poems: Gillian Clarke, Osi Rhys Osmond, Stephen Knight, Vicky Morris, Jessica Mookherjee, Marvin Thompson, Liz Lefroy, Emily Blewitt, clare e. potter, Patrick Jones, Phil Jones, Arjunan Manuelpillai, Di Slaney, Matthew Jarvis, Rhea Seren Phillips, David Rees Davies, Joe Dunthorne, Matthew Caley, David Clarke, Emily Cotterill, Shauna Robertson, Christopher Meredith, Emma Simon, Wendy Pratt, Neetha Kunaratnam, Rhian Edwards, Linda Saunders, John Freeman

55.1Summer 2019Nia DaviesFeatures: James Goodwin; Catrin Menai and Rhys Trimble; Rhea Seren Phillips, Alonso Quesda translated and introduced by Daniel Eltringham; Paul Kaye, Wioletta Greg and Antonia Lloyd-Jones; From the Archive: Meirion PennarReviews: Siofra McSherry, Jonathan Edwards, Jazmine Linklater, Gareth Prior, Ellen Bell, Rhys Trimble

Poems: Gloria Dawson, Verity Spott, Lucy Mercer, Harry Josephine Giles, Stephen Emmerson, Virna Teixeira trans. Shelley Bhoil, David Asherford, Paul Stephenson, Catrin Menai, Charles Wilkinson, Tara Skurtu, Efe Duyan trans. Neil Doherty & Tara Skurtu, Wioletta Greg trans. Paul Kaye, Ghazal Mosadeq, Meirion Pennar trans. Rhys Trimble

54.3Spring 2019Nia DaviesFeatures: Sarah Hudis, So Mayer, Dai George, Gareth LeamanReviews: Gareth Leaman, Maryam Hessavi, Rhys Trimble, Rhian Barfoot, Maggie Harries, Jade Cuttle

Poems: Azad Ashim Sharma, Maria Jastrzębska, Hanan Issa, Lee Duggan, Iris Colomb, Alison Gibb, Sarah Kelly, James Byrne, Huw Lawrence, Prue Chamberlayne, Rhian Elizabeth, John McCullough, Andrew Wells, Jonathan Edwards, Peter Hughes, Michael Farrell

54.2Autumn 2018Nia DaviesFeatures: Nerys Williams, Anna Reckin, Richard Gwyn, Marianna Burton, Robert MinhinnickReviews: Gareth Farmer, Daryl Leeworthy, Ellen Bell, Maryam Hessavi, Jazmine Linklater, Elz'bieta Wójcik-Leese.

Poems: Sascha Aurora Ahktar, Jazmine Linklater, Stewart Sanderson, Ifor Ap Glyn, Chloe Garner, Sian Melangell Dafydd, Simon Mundy, Sarah Marina, Andrew Spragg, Joe Dunthorne, Rose Knapp, Mike Jenkins, John White, Rosemary Corlett, David O'Hanlon, Eleanor Rees, Maitreyabandhu, Dan O'Brien, Fiona Cameron, Owen Lewis, Nerys Williams, James Stradner, Robert Sheppard.

Wales Poetry Award

In August 2019, Poetry Wales launched its annual international poetry competition Wales Poetry Award, sponsored by Aberystwyth University. The competition is open to all poets aged 17+ and accepts English language poetry up to 70 lines.[23] Its inaugural award winners were announced at Seren Cardiff Poetry Festival in February 2020, with Leo Temple taking first prize for 'Towards a Bucolics of Contactless: a particular poem'.[24]

Year Winner Title of Poem Judge
2019 Leo Temple Towards a Bucolics of Contactless: a particular poem Katherine Stansfield
2020 Maggie Harris and the thing is Pascale Petit
2021David WalrondCardiff, Summer 1976Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch
2022Kathryn BevisTranslations of GriefGwyneth Lewis
2023tbatbaDenise Saul

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About Poetry Wales. Poetry Wales. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105110830/https://poetrywales.co.uk/about/. 5 November 2019. 5 November 2019. live.
  2. Web site: WalesOnline tribute to Meic Stephens . 24 October 2008 . 18 March 2011 . 10 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110810220559/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/news/2008/10/25/tributes-to-writer-meic-stephens-for-his-70th-birthday-91466-22112987/ . live .
  3. Web site: Sam Adams Papers . Jisc.ac.uk . 27 February 2024 . 27 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240227050211/https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/4bf3a121-34a4-31c7-8071-ebcc450adf5b . live .
  4. http://www.swan.ac.uk/staff/academic/ArtsHumanities/wardjp/ Swansea University
  5. Web site: John Powell Ward . serenbooks.com . 27 February 2024 . 27 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240227050207/https://www.serenbooks.com/seren-author/john-powell-ward/ . live .
  6. Web site: Seren Books authors . 19 October 2010 . 17 October 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101017032527/http://www.serenbooks.com/authors . live .
  7. Book: Lloyd, David T . Writing on the Edge . Interview with Mike Jenkins . Brill . 1997 . 130–140 . 10.1163/9789004485020_016 . 978-90-04-48502-0 . 27 February 2024 . 27 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240227050447/https://brill.com/display/book/9789004485020/B9789004485020_s016.xml . live .
  8. Web site: Richard Poole official website . 18 March 2011 . 2 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110302111336/http://www.richardpoole.net/about.aspx . live .
  9. Web site: Poole, Richard . encyclopedia.com . 27 February 2024 . 13 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230513064005/https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/poole-richard . live .
  10. Web site: Zoe Skoulding editor of Poetry Wales . 19 October 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110727152345/http://www.poetcasting.co.uk/?p=189 . 27 July 2011 . dead .
  11. Web site: Bangor University . 25 January 2011 . 16 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120316114654/http://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/full-ori.php.en?Id=601 . live .
  12. Web site: Bangor University . 18 March 2011 . 16 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120316114730/http://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/full-ori.php.en?Id=613 . live .
  13. Web site: 2 August 2021. Poetry Wales welcomes Marvin Thompson and Zoë Brigley as the magazine's first joint editors!. 2 August 2021. Poetry Wales. en-GB. 2 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210802121027/https://poetrywales.co.uk/poetry-wales-welcomes-marvin-thompson-and-zoe-brigley-as-the-magazines-first-joint-editors/. live.
  14. Web site: 24 August 2021. Marvin Thompson Stepping Down as Poetry Wales Co-Editor. 25 August 2021. Wales Arts Review. en-US. 25 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210825084443/https://www.walesartsreview.org/marvin-thompson-stepping-down-as-poetry-wales-co-editor/. live.
  15. Web site: Poetry Wales 57.1 . 26 February 2024 . poetrywales.co.uk . 1 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231201064313/https://poetrywales.co.uk/product/poetry-wales-57-1-summer-2021/ . live .
  16. Web site: Poetry Wales 57.2 . 26 February 2024 . poetrywales.co.uk . 8 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208233753/https://poetrywales.co.uk/product/poetry-wales-57-2-winter-2021/ . live .
  17. Web site: Poetry Wales 57.3 . 26 February 2024 . poetrywales.co.uk . 18 July 2022 . 29 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231129085445/https://poetrywales.co.uk/product/poetry-wales-57-3-spring-2022/ . live .
  18. Web site: Poetry Wales 58.1 . poetrywales.co.uk . 6 July 2022 . 27 February 2024 . 8 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208223311/https://poetrywales.co.uk/product/poetry-wales-58-1-summer-2022/ . live .
  19. Web site: Poetry Wales 58.2 . 26 February 2024 . poetrywales.co.uk . 8 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208233226/https://poetrywales.co.uk/product/poetry-wales-58-2-winter-2022/ . live .
  20. Web site: Poetry Wales 59.3 . 26 February 2024 . poetrywales.co.uk . 7 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240207101853/https://poetrywales.co.uk/product/poetry-wales-59-3-spring-2024/ . live .
  21. Web site: Poetry Wales 58.3 . 26 February 2024 . poetrywales.co.uk . 8 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208223654/https://poetrywales.co.uk/product/poetry-wales-58-3-spring-2023/ . live .
  22. Web site: Poetry Wales >> About . Poetry Wales . 5 July 2017 . 30 June 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170630024722/http://poetrywales.co.uk/wp/about/ . live .
  23. Web site: Wales Poetry Award sponsored by Aberystwyth University. 5 November 2019. Poetry Wales. 31 July 2019 . en-GB. 5 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105110831/https://poetrywales.co.uk/award/. live.
  24. Web site: Wales Poetry Award Finalists Announced & Poetry Wales Party at Seren Cardiff Poetry Festival 2019. 24 June 2021. Poetry Wales. 26 February 2020. en-GB. 24 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203956/https://poetrywales.co.uk/wales-poetry-award-finalists-announced-poetry-wales-party-at-seren-cardiff-poetry-festival-2019/. live.