Jesus,,, “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” (2 Corinthians, 8:9)
A voice hearer, philanthropist, teacher, Hywel Davies was born in Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire in 1954.
Hywel is a founder member of Mind Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire Hearing Voices Group, Hearing Voices Network Cymru and Mental Health Advocacy Providers.
A graduate of Modern Languages, Hywel is a retired lecturer of Spanish.
‘The Collection’ (2014) is Mr Davies’ third collection of poetry, following ‘Syllables For Change’ (2008) and ‘Appearance and Reality’ (2009).
All funds raised by the sale of this publication will benefit Mind Pembrokeshire, a mental health charity in Cymru’s ‘premier county’.
Hywel Davies 2009
Click on title to go to the poem of your choice:
Contents
TWENTIETH CENTURY PSYCHIATRIC ORTHODOXY
TWENTIETH CENTURY CONVERSATION
Gerard’s Cross.
You can say that again,
He’s absolutely furious.
Bishop’s Stortford.
Bishop’s what?
Bishop’s Stortford
Never heard of it
What is Stortford?
Is it legal?
Milton Keynes
Fine name
For an American Football Player
He was never a Pope, was he?
Know.
Ou se trouve la consequence de mon amour, monsieur?
Elle se trouve partout, Ma Dame.
VIRGIN MARY (Translation)
Where is the consequence of my love, Sir?
It is found everywhere, My Lady.
Ble mae’r anialwch?
Nid yng Nghmru fach
THE WILDERNESS (Translation)
Where is the wilderness?
Not in small Wales.
Good morning, Mr Braintree
I think we can agree.
O Cymru is a nation.
It means a lot to me.
Good morning, Mr Braintree
Where are the answers are?
Do you know the way to be,
To do, to see that far?
“Yes, I do, sweet Jesus and
I’ll twll you once today.
Answers are found in madness
The holiness at play.”
Good morning, Mr President.
O would you like some cheese?
And do you know the way to Rhoose,
Imaginations please?
And do do you know the way to sing?
Inspire both sheep and goat?
The holiness of madman does
Keep all our dreams afloat.
Good morning Mr President.
I think I’ve said enough.
Football once knew a manager
Whose name was Brian Clough.
He tried to love his enemy.
He must have seemed absurds.
Twice he saw in concert
A member of the Byrds.
Roger McGuinn, the Christian,
Waldo Williams, the Saint,
Cymru is not a nation
Irrelevant or quaint.
Excuse me, Mr Braintree,
Would you like to bake
Ingredients for progress?
Make a holy cake?
Do, sweet dear, what I have said,
Try to have some fun.
Nature, civilisation
Make opponents run.
Pembrokeshire, my county
My foot and my ass
Historical cocktail
Of people and class.
Pembrokeshire beautiful
The west is the best,
Any who counter-word
Are merely a pest.
Her beaches and castles,
Her mountains and streams
Her greenery, churches
Resemble fine dreams.
Cathedral of David,
That palace of hope
Enable the troubled
To prosper and cope.
Isn’t Braintree in Essex?
Jealousy surrounds my tongue
Like poison round a flower
The holiness of Jesus
Proclaims the righteous hour.
Will you be when you grow up?
Of course I’ll be when I grow up,
Existence predetermines essence.
They think they are better
Than courage or love,
However, their ways
Insult the white dove.
Forgiveness is the greatest gift
Bestowed upon the earth,
It allows for transfiguration
And the greatest rebirth.
Mujica es pobre
Pero rico tanbien
He’s one of the best.
One of the men.
THE PRESIDENT OF URUGUAY (Translation)
Mujica is poor
But he is also rich
He’s one of the best,
One of the men.
Tryweryn
FORGET (Translation)
Tryweryn
Why should I?
He’s not dead is he?
Racist, sexist vowels,
Homophobic sounds,
As insulting to God
As il-gotten pounds.
Smile today, sweet Cymru.
The sun is in the sky.
If it were not for you,
Then paradise would die.
Watt,
Would you like for Christmas?
It is more important to be this Christmas,
You are right.
Où est le Surrey, Monsieur?
Le Surrey est Angleterre, Madame.
O.
SURREY (translation)
Where is Surrey, Sir?
Surrey is in England,
Madame.
O.
Inventing necessities,
Twm?
Somebody has to, dear.
Do you like “Itchy Koo Park?
I’ve never been there, Sir.
Dubai?
No, it was too expensive.
Clara Ron Best Do
Have you ever been buggered?
No, but I’ve been exhausted a few times.
Tu D’
Or
TUDOR (translation)
You Are Golden
Où se trouve Maenclochog?
Maenclochog est dans le Pembrokeshire.
Où est le Pembrokeshire?
Le Pembrokeshire est dans le Pays de Galles.
MAENCLOCHOG (translation)
Where is Maenclochog?
Maenclochog is in Pembrokeshire.
Where is Pembrokeshire? Pembrokeshire is in Wales.
Madame Tussauds
I thought that one sword would have been enough.
Dale ei premio.
DALE (translation)
Dale the prize.
(Dale is a village in Pembrokeshire / Give him or her the prize)
Have you seen my sausage roll?
No, but I’ve seen your sandwich wink.
Owen Money?
Never a lender or borrower be.
Hola, señor. Buenos días Buenos días, Señor.¿ Ha empezado la revolución?St Empezó en mil novecientos noventa y dos.
¿ Donde empezó la revolución?
En Llandrindod Wells, en Powys
¿ Donde esta Powys
Powys esta en Gales, Señor.
Gracias.
THE WELSH REVOLUTION (translation)
Hello, sir. Good morning.
Good morning, Sir. (Lord)
Has the revolution begun?
Yes. It began in 1992.
Where did the revolution begin?
In Llandrindod Wells, in Powys.
Where is Powys?
Powys is in Wales, Sir.
Thank you.
Era Linda.
LINDA (translation)
Was pretty. (Linda)
Dónde esta Madrid? Madrid esta en España.
John sings. Mary listens.
Is there no end to the revolution?
Know.
Ou se trouve la conséquence de mon amour, Monsieur?
Elle se trouve partout, Madame.
Merci, Monsieur, vous êtes très intelligent.
Merci, Madame, vous êtes très gentille.
THE CONSEQUENCE (translation)
Where is the consequence of my love, Sir?
It is found everywhere, Madame.
Thank you, Sir, you are very intelligent.
Thank you, Madame, you are very kind.
There are no easy answers.
Habite en Angleterre, Monsieur.
FRANK BRUNO (translation)
Lives in England, Sir.
Dear
WHERE? (translation)
Dear
TWENTIETH CENTURY PSYCHIATRIC ORTHODOXY
Would you like a friend?
Yes, please, Sir.
Well, you can’t have one.
All the nice nuns love a candle.
All the nice priests love small boys.
If they cannot educate them,
Then they obviate their toys.
A sister of the American playwright,
Tennessee Williams,
was incarcerated in a lunatic asylum for telling her mother that certain nuns that she,
the child,
knew used to use holy candles with which to masturbate.
WIL CWAC CWAC
Wn i ddim.
WILL CWAC CWAC (translation)
I don’t know.
THE ORGAN DONOR
Would you like to be an organ-donor?
Why would I want to be an organ-donor?
Because the chapel does not posses an organ.
IS
That a people-pleaser?
Know. It’s a people-carrier.
OES
Mae neb Yn hoffi Unigolyn Neu Genedl
Sy’n Dweud Y gwir. Y gwir
Yn erbyn Y byd
A oes heddwch?
Heddwch.
YES (translation)
Nobody Likes
An individual Or
A nation That tells The truth
The truth Against The world
Is there peace?
Peace.
SCHOOL REUNION
What do you do now, Jenkins?
I’m a solicitor specialising in international law, Sir.
Where do you live?
I live in Knightsbridge in London, Sir.
Two cats.
How absolutely fascinating. What do you do Perkins?
I’m a multi-millionaire business man based in Dubai, Sir Married with three children.
How absolutely fabulous, Good for you, old bean.
Thank you, Sir.
And what do you do, Jones-Jeremiah?
Well, actually, sir, I’m a nutter.
Living in the community in rural Kent.
Well done, Jones-Jeremiah, I knew you’d go far.
Indeed, I did, Sir.
Rural Kent is a long way from Carmarthen Town.
Isn’t community care working well in the United Kingdom nowadays?
It makes one feel proud to be British.
Indeed it does, Jones-Jeremiah.
TWENTIETH CENTURY CONVERSATION
Shall we pray, Mrs Phillips?
On little bays, vicar?
On little girls, Mrs Phillips.
You know what the book of Leviticus says about bumboys.
Indeed, I do.
KILGETTY
Have you seen Kilgetty roundabout?
Yes, I have.
BOURGEOISIE
Where do you shop?
I shop at Kwiksave.
Where do you shop?
I shop at Tesco.
I like people who shop at Tesco.
SCHIZOPHRENIC CARES
Would you like a job, Mrs Jones?
Yes, please, Sir.
Well, you can’t have one.
COMMUNITY CARE
Do you have a friend?
Yes, Sir. As a matter of fact I do.
Mentalist!
39% of adults in Cymru are in debt.
40, 000 babies
Were born in Zambia
In 2006
With HIV /Aids.
Fund a mentalist
A female genius Who wasn’t a saint.
Book by Herbert Marcuse, Sir.
Exactly, Donkins. “Steppen Wolf”
Book by Herman Hesse, Sir.
Exactly, Donkins. Books, books, books. Words, words, words.
We invent necessities, Sir. Somebody has to, Donkins.
Existence predetermines essence, Sir?
Vice-versa, actually, Donkins. “Pax vobiscum,” Sir.
Close the door as you leave, Donkins.
Yes, sir. Good night, Sir. Good night, Donkins. “Nil desperandum”
I’ll try my best, Sir.
Is that a poem?
Yes.
It’s very good, isn’t it?
I like to think so. Did you write it?
That’s a very good question. That’s a very good answer.
O dear
It is in Bala.
All funds raised by the sale of this publication will benefit Pembrokeshire Mind Sir Benfro, a mental health charity in Cymru’s ‘Premier County’.
