Recent National Eisteddfod winner of both Chair and Crown, Mererid
Hopwood here gives a clear, detailed and authoritative introduction
to the uniquely Welsh poetic phenomenon of 'cynghanedd'.
While she is unequivocal that it is inextricably bound into the
Welsh language, and that to truly learn and practice it takes many
years and a good deal of encouragement, she is also keen to give
outsiders and beginners a taste of (and for) its magic.
The handbook is written in English with both grace and wit, but she
then uses carefully chosen examples from the best of classic and
modern Welsh poetry to illustrate the principal rules of the craft
and convey the true music of the art. These, with exercises and a
CD, move her readers through the most frequently used patterns and
into a selection of the 24 measures. However, her emphasis is
always on the importance of hearing the harmony, and understanding
that the sound (rather than the letter of the law) is
paramount.
As an outstanding poet herself, she can speak directly about the
freeing, inspiring qualities of writing within the tradition;
encapsulated in the phrase ‘Chwilio am air a chael mwy’ –‘searching
for a word and finding more’. She convinces us that the ‘chains’
are in fact ‘wings’ and we can begin to see why the forms have had
such endless and timeless fascination.
My only small criticism is that the CD needs more points of access.
In the early stages one needs to be able to replay a phrase or a
verse without going through the whole chapter's notes. However, the
final collection of extracts from major recent poems is a fine
resource and Mererid's reading is a joy.
*Caroline Clark @ www.gwales.com*
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