Witches, Warriors, Workers
£9.00
This new and unique anthology has poetry in both Welsh and English by around 70 Welsh working-class writers. There are women and men, of all generations, including both emerging and established writers. Gustavius Payne, a well-known Welsh artist, has provided stunningly appropriate paintings to accompany some of the poems in the book.
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union writes this in the Foreword:
The poems collected in “Onward / Ymlaen!” cover a diverse range of political themes and issues including poverty and class inequality, self-determination, internationalism, war, living on a council estate in Swansea, and the death of Jo Cox.
This is a valuable book and will be of interest to many people in Wales and across the UK, at a time when the political landscape is changing so dramatically. These changes have meant that times are hard for many people, but our movement has always had room for poetry and song. As the old radical poem says, “Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses.”
Mike Jenkins, editor of Red Poets, says this:
This anthology brings together the finest radical political poetry from contemporary Cymru, reflecting the importance of community, co-operation and commitment to building a better world. There is sharp criticism, sad reflection, heartfelt protest and bitter humour in these poems. But there is also a sense of renewal, of what might develop from grassroots movements and activism.
Living as a woman is a struggle under the multiple oppressions of late-stage capitalism. We face an uncertain future in which our rights and freedoms are increasingly under threat, our work is undervalued, and our bodies have become political battlegrounds. This anthology addresses such anxieties through poetry and art, while striving to uncover the hidden affinities that exist across our different lives. It is an inclusive expression of sisterhood, offering an inspiring, intersectional vision of feminism that is porous, egalitarian, and mutually responsible.
The anthology is our and your opportunity to retune attention, to listen, and to celebrate our diversity, energy, and creativity. It is above all a chance to expand our networks of solidarity, to include all of us in our work, our striving, and our celebrations. We all have struggles in common. We all face at some point in our lives precarity, exclusion, or simply the fight to define our lives on our own terms. In our variety and difference we have great strength, and much to teach each other.
This anthology is a chance to hear from a broad range of voices, and to share some powerful and inspiring poetry from contemporary working women.
