Cardiff Wetlands Writer in Residence

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I’ve recently been able to announce that, in agreement with Cardiff Harbour Authority, I am now Writer in Residence at Cardiff Wetlands.

This is a non-contractual role which I am undertaking for my own inspiration and development.

Why Wetlands, though? some of you have asked….

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Well, previously, I was Writer in Residence at the National Botanic Garden of Wales; so, this new, nature-based position seems like a perfect follow on from that.

However, unlike the National Botanic Garden, this little fringe of mud, moisture, and metre-high wild grasses isn’t well known to many, remaining a mystery even to Cardiff-born city slickers such as myself.

I first found out about the Wetlands earlier this year when my friend Steve Andrews told me about it and we came here after a poetry reading to take a look around.

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I was instantly captivated by that most poetic of influences, which are abundantly apparent here – nature’s beauty.

The Wetlands are utterly, awe-inspiringly gorgeous. Go past Techniquest, turn left at the roundabout, and then right again – and suddenly you see a magical-looking, estuary-edged area over the top of the wall. Keep walking, and the wall gives way to paths which lead you down into a world of birds busily nesting and feedings amongst the reeds; bugs of every element, e.g. dragonflies, cinnabar moths, and water scorpions; and views out over inky, rippling waters to the Barrage, Penarth and, further across, to the mysterious, misty islands of Flatholm and Steepholm.

It’s so lovely, I was instantly captivated, and knew then that, when I moved back to Cardiff (I was living in Ceredigion at the time and looking to return to the city), this was the place I wanted to live near.

And, I got my wish.

And, now, this. I’m terribly pleased and excited by the Writer in Residence role, because
I look out at the Wetlands every single day and feel words pooling and gathering inside me, ready to be released. This role will provide purpose and structure to that process, and whatever I pen then will, hopefully, incite interest and give more people an awareness of this amazing former salt marsh.

Cardiff Harbour Authority web page for the Wetlands (current)
Cardiff Harbour Authority web page for the Wetlands (archive)

The World’s Longest Love Poem

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This year, as part of International Dylan Thomas Day, 14 May, I was able to realise a recent dream of mine – to create the world’s longest love poem. Not by my own hand, but by the combined pens of people around the world, as part of Love The Words, the literary competition element of Dylan Day.

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Thanks to writers from all around the world, we managed to beat the current record and create that poem, which you can view now on Discover Dylan Thomas.com, the website of Dylan’s grand-daughter, Hannah Ellis.

Entitled The Love Club (after a phrase from the poem), Hannah and myself collated the poem from all of the many entries.

If you entered but don’t see your entry included, please email Hannah at hannah@discoverdylanthomas.com to get this remedied.

Enjoy the poem! Here is is:

https://www.discoverdylanthomas.com/news-events/international-dylan-thomas-day/copy-love-words-page 

Cardiff Uni courses – let 2018 be the year of the writer!

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I teach the following 10 week courses at Cardiff University. They are currently open for enrolment, beginning Thursday 18th January. Each course is worth 10 credits at Level 4 (undergraduate level).

Life Writing

Draw on your own history and experience to tell the story of your life.

Whether you want to engage readers, share your history with family and friends, or simply write for yourself, this module will give you the methods and means of composing compelling life writing, autobiography and memoir.

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/part-time-courses-for-adults/courses/view/life-writing

 

Reading and Writing Poetry

This course adheres to the sound advice that if you want to write poetry you should read it.

It is open to anyone who wants to have a close but open-minded look at how poetry, in all its shapes and styles, succeeds in capturing the reader’s imagination. If you would enjoy this, and the inspiration to write your own poems, come and be part of a friendly, supportive class that welcomes all abilities.

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/part-time-courses-for-adults/courses/view/reading-and-writing-poetry

Review!

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Many thanks to poet Angela Topping for a wonderful review of my latest book, and thanks also to Sabotage Reviews for giving space to it. So pleased, and so grateful, and so nice that a brilliant poet such as Angela has written these things!

To quote from the review:

“Mab Jones is a poet of detail, of concrete objects pulling their weight. Occasionally surreal, she has originality of thought and imagination. Technically, she is skilful. Indigo Dreams have created a quality slim volume with a striking, fitting cover, and the poems within do not disappoint. I look forward to reading more of Mab Jones’ work in future; this was my first taste of her lush imagery and deft forms.”

You can read the review in full here: http://sabotagereviews.com/2017/03/06/take-your-experience-and-peel-it-by-mab-jones/

And the book is available to read sample poems from and to buy here: http://www.indigodreams.co.uk/mab-jones/4592595599 

Molly Parkin Preview (& Dylan Day)

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This lucky ducky (rhyming already, cos She Is Poet) was in London over the weekend, and as part of her schedule of pleasures popped to the impeccable, plush, and positively gorgeous Vout-o-Reenee’s for a swift drink. In fact the drink was tea, for the proprietors of the property, Sophie Parkin and her delightful partner, who’s name I did not ask the spelling of, were being very busy and bee-like prepping the pictures for mum Molly Parkin’s 85th birthday and art exhibition this week.

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The exhibition is a retrospective of the past sixty years of Molly’s painting. The icon still paints today, and this collection of mixed pieces surely has something for everyone. My particular favourites were some of the small self-portraits, like these, although the larger, vibrantly-coloured canvasses were also very striking, and there were several small, very delicate works that looked like they belonged in the museum.

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If you’d like to attend this once in her lifetime (and yours too) event, please do get in touch with the venue to book in. The popularity of Molly Parkin and her wonderful work requires it, though you will have a couple of chances to attend a private view. If the date this Friday 10th February is full then another night may be possible. And you get to meet Molly, too!

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I was also at the fantastic venue because of an International Dylan Thomas Day event that will be happening there… But, watch this space for details of that! And in the meantime, get to the venue and look at what’s adorning that space asap.

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TO BOOK:
Private View- Friday 10 February 2017 6-11  www.Vout-O-Reenees.com
Please RSVP – if we are full we will invite you on another night -Thestashgallery@gmail.com – 07753702910-
The Show is on until March. Opening times- Tues-Sat 5-11pm and by appointment.
Vout-O-Reenees and The Stash Gallery – The Crypt, 30 Prescot St. London. E1 8BB.(TowerHill/Aldgate)

Hygge Feature #18 Objects of Happiness

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Many thanks to Angela Topping for including one of my poems in her beautiful, interesting, hygge-inspired series of blog posts.

Angela Topping

Most people have some small possessions of little monetary value, but great joy is attached to them, either because they please the senses or because they are associated with a happy memory or a loved person. Using and touching these things enables the owner to enjoy a sense of living in the moment, which is a key aspect of hygge.

Cupboard

I, who’ve inherited nothing, except
this nose more arched than a harp,
these hips made to cradle a life,
find in these old things enough
to still my quivering beak, which
pricks in every direction of a map;
enough to soothe the soup of my belly,
which craves to feed to lips of a babe.

Be still. These delicate, finely-wrought
treasures live in a cupboard that’s cradle-
sized. My eyes sip at them daily,
when making tea, or slipping the coats
from potatoes. Two cruets, as white as
atoms…

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Voices on the Bridge – Looking Forward!

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Celfypridd

What a lineup! Not to be missed!

Mab Jones is a “unique talent” (The Times), who has read her poems all over the UK, in the US, Ireland, France, and Japan. She is the author of Poor Queen (Burning Eye Books, 2014) and take your experience and peel it (Indigo Dreams, 2016), which won the Geoff Stevens Memorial Poetry Prize. She has also won the John Tripp Spoken Poetry Audience Award, the Word Factory Neil Gaiman Short Story comp, and the Rabbit Heart Poetry Film Festival Grand Jury Prize, amongst others. In 2015 she was the recipient of a Creative Wales Award. Currently, she teaches a creative writing class at Cardiff University, coordinates International Dylan Thomas Day, and is a freelance contributor to the New York Times. She recently presented a poetry programme on BBC Radio 4. www.mabjones.com

Josh Evans is a 23 year old, Rhondda based Singer/Songwriter. His music…

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Writer spotlight: meet Mab Jones

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Mab Jones arrived at the writing party relatively late, at the age of 29, but has really made the most of it since.

The 39-year-old poet, writer, journalist, event organiser and teacher aspired to be a writer and artist from a young age, and finally started putting her goals into practice just before turning 30. One reason, she said, for not starting sooner was: “I felt very lacking in confidence, and I didn’t know how to get into writing.”

Everything changed for Mab, however, when she discovered Literature Wales’s bursaries for new writers. The Cardiff native decided to put some words together and submit them for consideration, and actually went on to be awarded a grant of £3,000 to keep writing.

“I quit my crappy job,” the writer says now. “I had to get another crappy job afterwards, mind, but I had three months free to write. I wrote a…

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Hygge Feature #4

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I’m really enjoying these hygge-inspired poems on poet Angela Topping’s website. I believe the project is currently open to submissions, too, so do take a look. Some wonderful poems up here so far.

Angela Topping

Today it’s all about food, and it won’t be the only one with that angle! Home-made food is all about being cosy, sharing, and being in the present moment.

Making Bread
 

Pungent baking smells fill the house.
Three loaves cool on wire racks.
A sharp knife separates a half inch slice,
speckled with oval sunflower sections.
A happy sigh ; the family is home.

First, a warm kitchen,
Tough brown bags of organic, wholemeal,
Stone-ground grains ; wheat, barley, rye.
Warm water, salt crystals, pearls of yeast
(Using the simplest and best, only the best.)
My hands that fold the warm trembling flesh,
Pat flour off my apron’s belly, into my hair.
The oven clicks, starts its rise with the bread.

Blue poppy seeds, sesame and buckwheat shards
Stretch apart on the swelling surface.
A good rise comes from the heart,
warmth inside and out ; the family is…

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