A sense of place

I haven't been a great one for North American literature in the past but yesterday may have been a turning point for me; at Penarth's Literature Festival workshop on "The Importance Of Place" Tyler Keevil, the Canadian author and lecturer from Cardiff University, introduced me to some interesting authors I'd not come across before. Extracts from the work of writers such as Joyce Carol Oates and Eden Robinson certainly whetted the appetite for more; the almost cinematic quality of their writing, creating worlds and placing their characters so effortlessly within them, was certainly impressive.

I've always been fascinated by place in a story or a poem - how it can drive a narrative, become almost a character in the piece. And I'm very aware of how much of my poetry these days is place based. I'm collaborating on two projects at the moment which will use photographs to compliment poems; over the summer I'm also hoping to work with the photographic group at Newport MIND, combining two art forms to create something quite distinctive from either. It should be really interesting - if fairly challenging.

Tyler Keevil

After Penarth it was on to Cardiff Castle for Tafwyl, the annual two day Welsh language festival held there. Saturday had apparently seen bright sunshine, record temperatures and record crowds - yesterday roedd hi'n bwrw glaw - it rained, solidly! But the learner's tent was packed anyway and there were some very inspirational speakers. The wonderful Cant a Mil bookshop had a stall there and I had to fight my urge to buy every level-appropriate book they had; my reading is far better developed than my speaking ability and I know I need to siarad, siarad, siarad (talk, talk, talk), rather than darllen, darllen, darllen (read, read, read) but I can't break the habit!
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