The evening with Gillian Clarke was the quiet delight of a lifetime. Her uncertainty about her confidence to interest and entertain a 100-strong audience proved unfounded. Despite my familiarity with much of her work, I found myself entranced immediately by her easy company and overt enthusiasm for all aspects of poetry.
My active interest in Gillian's work has spanned some 25 years since I first encountered "Letter from a far country" when I was an environmental studies student in North Wales in the late 80s. It was thus a rare and very welcome chance to witness the poet speaking candidly and poignantly about her work and her life in Wales and in the wider world (inc. the Soviet Union)!
Amongst the many memorable glimpses of her family and her upbringing which she described, being a witness at a motorcycle accident and her portrayal of her Auntie Phyllis stand out most prominently for me. It was, of course, a distinct pleasure, also to hear as yet unpublished material as well as some heart-warming (and always slightly uncomfortable) favourites.
Gillian was, I believe, truly overawed not only by the turnout but also by the longevity her work has enjoyed.
It was my final pleasure of the evening that she signed for me her latest prose work "At the source" and dedicated and signed a copy of "Letter from a far country" for my Milanese student of English who (like us, in anticipation of "A recipe for water") doesn't know what wonderful poetry is coming her way.
Andy Strang
5.10.08
My active interest in Gillian's work has spanned some 25 years since I first encountered "Letter from a far country" when I was an environmental studies student in North Wales in the late 80s. It was thus a rare and very welcome chance to witness the poet speaking candidly and poignantly about her work and her life in Wales and in the wider world (inc. the Soviet Union)!
Amongst the many memorable glimpses of her family and her upbringing which she described, being a witness at a motorcycle accident and her portrayal of her Auntie Phyllis stand out most prominently for me. It was, of course, a distinct pleasure, also to hear as yet unpublished material as well as some heart-warming (and always slightly uncomfortable) favourites.
Gillian was, I believe, truly overawed not only by the turnout but also by the longevity her work has enjoyed.
It was my final pleasure of the evening that she signed for me her latest prose work "At the source" and dedicated and signed a copy of "Letter from a far country" for my Milanese student of English who (like us, in anticipation of "A recipe for water") doesn't know what wonderful poetry is coming her way.
Andy Strang
5.10.08
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