Hywel Griffiths
Hywel Griffiths was born in Carmarthen, south-west Wales and raised on a farm near the small village of Llangynog. After completing a BSc and MSc in physical geography he completed a PhD in fluvial geomorphology at Aberystwyth University where he is now a lecturer in physical geography. He has won two chairs in the National Urdd Eisteddfod in 2004 and 2007 (for strict metre poetry) and won the crown at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2008 (for free verse). His first collection of poetry, Banerog (Y Lolfa, 2009) was shortlisted for the 2009 Welsh Book of the Year. He is also a author of novels for children, and his first, Dirgelwch y Bont (Gomer, 2010) won the Tir Na Nog prize for children’s literature. Hywel writes primarily in the strict metre poetry of cynghanedd, and is and regularly competes in poetry slams in Wales. His work has been translated into Italian ( Un Seme de Poesia, 2010). Although varying in theme, many of Hywel’s poems focus on nature, the relationship between people, place and history, and the politics of language and class.
News
Word Express writer Ognjen Spahić from Montenegro will be visiting London for events with his UK publisher, Istros Books, from the 15th - 18th of May. See the Istros Books website for more details.
This year's Prague Book Fair - Svet Knihy - is focusing on literature the Black Sea region. Word Express writers Ivan Hristov (Bulgaria), Zaza Koshkadze (Georgia) and Pelin Özer (Turkey) will talk about their Balkan literary journey and read their work at the gala evening. Go to the Literature Across Frontiers website for more details.
Word Express interviews Georgian poet Zaza Koshkadze, and talks to Owen Martell and Milan Dobricic about translating and publishing Owen's novel into Serbian after meeting on the Word Express journey. All on the Travel Blog.