I would like to indicate a moment’s great respect for another fine Welsh poet, who died yesterday – RS Thomas. He too, like Dylan Thomas, had a mellifluous command of English with a distinctive Welsh voice – though not with Dylan’s humorous ear. His sad and mournful tone had “images like slate - hard and sharp; his style spare, unflinching, honest.”

A tiny sample for anyone who doesn’t know his work:

"I must go down with the poor
Purse of my body and buy courage,
Paying for it with the coins of my breath."

Brief biog can be seen here:

http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/5/0,5716,74055+1+72173,00.html?kw=r s thomas

And Jackie, he also learnt his native Welsh later in his life, so if you want to see the full spendour of his language on the site put up by Gomer Press (Gwasg Gomer in Welsh), who are local publishers:

http://www.gomer.co.uk/cymraeg/llyfrsaes/cymruorw.htm

For our German friends (or run the translator):
http://www.berlinonline.de/kultur/lesen/belle/.html/belle.199914.03.html

I came across this interesting quote on the address which follows:
"I once asked a Welsh Poet...."Why Poetry for Wales?" The answer...
'That Empires have their buildings and their wealth, but small countries have what comes forth from the heart.... its’ words, its’ language, its’ poetry' I agree that a nation without a language is a nation without a soul!"

http://www.celticpandc.com/r.s.thomas_&_welsh.poets.html


Thomas was a unique voice, and he’ll be missed.