Brought up in a Welsh-speaking community, the former national poet of Wales began winning writing competitions at seven years old. Behind the scenes, however, she experienced serious emotional abuse
‘I hated the attention that winning brought, though I still loved writing’ … Left, Gwyneth Lewis today, and as a child.‘I hated the attention that winning brought, though I still loved writing’ … Left, Gwyneth Lewis today, and as a child.
Within the spectrum of emotional abuse – the squashing of independence, the subordination of one’s life to another, the gaslighting – writing became the arena of one of our biggest fights. I began writing poetry at the age of seven. During a wet Easter holiday, I composed a rhyming epic about rain. Here was something Eryl approved of. She promptly “corrected” my work in red ink, like the teacher she was.
As soon as I stopped caring what anybody else thought of my writing, things began to go well. I felt that I didn’t need to choose betweenbut could do both, which is what comes naturally to me. This made the work of being National Poet of Wales a pleasure, as if both parts of my brain were speaking to each other. I worried about fulfilling the job with integrity but not about my right to speak.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Brittany Higgins's lawyer gives final closing submissions in defamation case brought by Linda ReynoldsBrittany Higgins's lawyer finishes her closing submissions in the defamation case launched by Senator Linda Reynolds, and these are the key ways the former staffer is defending herself against the allegations.
Read more »
Going up: Can Britain’s empty department stores be brought back to life?With many branches of famous chains lying empty, work is under way to transform them into housing, hotels, offices, independent shops and more
Read more »
Six ancestors are being brought back home from New ZealandMore than 1700 First Nations ancestors have been returned from overseas collecting institutions and private collectors over the past 30 years.
Read more »
Not-for-profit Kindness Kombi that brought light during COVID-19 restrictions up for saleA Port Adelaide couple used their not-for-profit Kombi to entertain people isolated in their homes during pandemic restrictions and now it's up for sale.
Read more »
Have universities brought Clare’s hard cap on themselves?It’s a populist political fix for cutting immigration. But a failure of university self-regulation has also led to government intervention.
Read more »
Questions over cladding after fire at Dagenham flats brought under controlFBU calls for urgent investigation into blaze as more than 100 people evacuated from building in east London
Read more »