Hard Times

Scan page 11

Welsh miners face the same ravages Army ments for Hard times!

The world economy in turmoil Bobsytifle® Pluto de Press From Pluto Press:

an analysis of capitalism in crisis from regular Socialist Organiser contributor Bob Sutcliffe. £2.50 from bookshops, or (with 50p post and packing) foom Pluto, The Works, 105a Torriano Avenue, London NW5. were spent fighting cancer to which he finally succumbed on 6 April 1953, the same year that Dylan Thomas died.

His "Selected Poems" published with the accolade and encouragement of none other than T.S. Elliot, appeared shortly after his death, but it was only in 1972 that a book of his collected poems, edited by Isiwyn Jenkins appeared.

'All Davies' poetry was written after he left the pit, almost as if those bitter years of struggle were an apprenticeship which he had to undergo before he could write.

His poems, not all of them, but certainly the main ones, have a common theme, bitter and righteous anger at the sufferings of the ordinary people (The Angry Summer 48)

The hopes and visions of 1926 however remain, tragically only to be realized many years later in the great victory of 1972: But the battle's end is not defeat British Isles.

Although first and foremost a Welsh writer of Welsh conditions and character he did find inspiration from other places and people.

In particular he found inspiration in the writings of W.B. Yeats and visited the West coast of Ireland on a sort of poețic pilgrimage. He identified with the heroes of the 1916 Easter Uprising, maybe seeing a parallel between their struggle comfort and a pampered despotic few to live like kings.

Sadly the sentiments of Idris Davies' poetry, the crimes and insults which outraged him so much are still with us. And for the Welsh miners, who today still face the same ravages as they did all those years ago, the poetry of Idris Davies far from being a sad, nostalgic reminiscence is a stark and grim day to day reality.

Scan page 12

Organiser no.133 Page