Bois Parc Nest

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-For as long as I live probably, -Jim and Aled too...	0:00:08	0:00:13
-..we will be known -as Bois Parc Nest.	0:00:13	0:00:16
-I return to Parc Nest -as often as I can.	0:00:18	0:00:21
-I return -because the bond is so strong.	0:00:23	0:00:27
-It has never been broken.	0:00:29	0:00:31
-As I look back at my upbringing...	0:00:35	0:00:38
-..what I remember -more than anything...	0:00:40	0:00:43
-..is the care, -the love, the warmth...	0:00:43	0:00:47
-..and the people.	0:00:47	0:00:49
-There were books.	0:00:51	0:00:53
-We heard about chapel.	0:00:53	0:00:56
-We heard about drama.	0:00:57	0:00:59
-We heard about concerts.	0:00:59	0:01:01
-We heard about eisteddfodau.	0:01:01	0:01:03
-For an ordinary Welshman...	0:01:04	0:01:06
-..that was our culture.	0:01:07	0:01:09
-I feel that the three of us...	0:01:27	0:01:29
-..are like fossils.	0:01:29	0:01:31
-We belong to an age...	0:01:32	0:01:34
-..that many of today's farmers -know nothing about.	0:01:34	0:01:41
-The old farm of 60 years ago...	0:01:41	0:01:45
-..is vivid in our memory.	0:01:45	0:01:47
-A traditional Welsh mixed farm.	0:01:51	0:01:55
-Dairy cattle, bullocks -but never sheep.	0:01:55	0:01:59
-Having sheep on the farm -was an exception.	0:01:59	0:02:02
-We didn't force the land in any way.	0:02:03	0:02:06
-Dad used very little fertilizer -on the land.	0:02:07	0:02:11
-He opposed the use of nitrogen.	0:02:12	0:02:16
-Lime and manure were the only -supplements sprayed on the land.	0:02:17	0:02:22
-During that time, we needed plenty -of workers on the farm.	0:02:25	0:02:30
-Even here, -we had three servants and one maid.	0:02:30	0:02:36
-You remember two maids - -you two must have been a handful!	0:02:37	0:02:41
-We remember them very dearly.	0:02:46	0:02:48
-Mary was an important part -of our upbringing.	0:02:48	0:02:52
-She was a woman who wanted to do -nothing more in life than work.	0:02:52	0:02:57
-She wouldn't stop.	0:02:57	0:02:59
-She was a hard worker.	0:02:59	0:03:01
-As I stand here now, -I'm looking down at the floor.	0:03:02	0:03:05
-We had flagstones on the floor -back then.	0:03:06	0:03:09
-Mary would wash them regularly.	0:03:09	0:03:12
-After washing them, -she would find some newspaper...	0:03:12	0:03:16
-..such as the Western Mail...	0:03:16	0:03:18
-..and place it on the floor -until it dried.	0:03:19	0:03:22
-Dat would have been -milking the cows...	0:03:22	0:03:25
-..and he would look forward to -reading the Western Mail at night.	0:03:25	0:03:30
-He'd look for it and ask, -"Where's the Western Mail?"	0:03:30	0:03:35
-Mary would say it was on the floor.	0:03:35	0:03:39
-"Mary fach, why have you done that? -I want to read it."	0:03:40	0:03:43
-"What's the fuss, Gwyn bach?" -Mary would reply...	0:03:44	0:03:47
-.."There'll be -another one tomorrow."	0:03:47	0:03:50
-We all recognize -Mam's influence on our lives.	0:03:53	0:03:57
-She was a member of a large family.	0:04:04	0:04:06
-It's as if they had -a family tradition...	0:04:08	0:04:11
-..that they all loved singing.	0:04:11	0:04:14
-Mam had inherited that talent.	0:04:14	0:04:16
-For some reason...	0:04:17	0:04:19
-..when she started teaching us -Biblical verses as children...	0:04:19	0:04:24
-..and then started to teach us -lines of poetry...	0:04:24	0:04:28
-..Mam became interested -in recitation.	0:04:29	0:04:32
-She started the three of us off -in the world of poetry recitation.	0:04:32	0:04:38
-What I still remember about Mam...	0:04:38	0:04:42
-..is that when she heard us -reciting, she would emphasize...	0:04:42	0:04:47
-..how much she liked hearing -certain sentences or phrases.	0:04:47	0:04:54
-She would say, -"Recite that line again to me."	0:04:54	0:04:58
-"Isn't that a beautiful line?"	0:04:59	0:05:02
-Dat was also interested in poetry.	0:05:10	0:05:14
-He loved completing -the missing lines of limericks.	0:05:15	0:05:19
-We'd have the programme schedules -from eisteddfodau where we competed.	0:05:19	0:05:24
-He would flick through -to the literary section.	0:05:24	0:05:27
-He would compete on the limerick -and sentence competitions.	0:05:27	0:05:31
-He would often win the competitions.	0:05:31	0:05:33
-Where did he compose these lines?	0:05:34	0:05:36
-I remember him in the cowshed when -he used to milk the cows by hand.	0:05:36	0:05:41
-He'd have a pencil on his ear...	0:05:41	0:05:44
-..and the back of an envelope -in his pocket.	0:05:44	0:05:47
-When he was inspired to write -a line for a limerick...	0:05:47	0:05:51
-..he had to write it down -there and then.	0:05:51	0:05:54
-I remember him standing up, -leaning against a cow...	0:05:54	0:05:59
-..pressing his fingers into the cow, -counting the syllables...	0:06:01	0:06:06
-..if he wasn't sure about the rhythm -of the lines he'd written.	0:06:06	0:06:10
-He also liked writing sentences.	0:06:10	0:06:13
-Do you remember?	0:06:13	0:06:15
-Do you remember? - -I remember one sentence...	0:06:15	0:06:17
-..he wrote from the word -"Ll-A-W-E-N-Y-Dd".	0:06:17	0:06:20
-'Llawenydd A Wna Ein Nos Yn Ddydd."	0:06:20	0:06:23
-I think Jennie Eirian -was the adjudicator at the time.	0:06:23	0:06:29
-She was full of praise -for that sentence.	0:06:29	0:06:32
-Parc Nest's farmyard -was ideal for us.	0:06:41	0:06:45
-The ground was level and we could -play all kinds of sports.	0:06:45	0:06:49
-One game we'd often play -was cricket.	0:06:49	0:06:52
-We'd play it at night after milking.	0:06:52	0:06:55
-Mamgu and Mam would field.	0:06:55	0:06:58
-My father would bowl and we three -brothers would bat in turn.	0:06:58	0:07:03
-When I was alone...	0:07:04	0:07:06
-..I used to play here -against the side of the house.	0:07:06	0:07:11
-I'd throw the ball at the wall -and bat the rebound.	0:07:11	0:07:16
-I knew I could score four runs -if I hit it towards the garage.	0:07:16	0:07:20
-If I hit it back against the wall, -it was four runs.	0:07:20	0:07:24
-If I hit it into the lake, -I was six and out.	0:07:24	0:07:28
-I would walk back to the garage - -the pavilion...	0:07:34	0:07:39
-..and walk out again...	0:07:39	0:07:41
-..imagining that there were -thousands of supporters...	0:07:41	0:07:45
-..in the stands around the farmyard -shouting their support for me...	0:07:46	0:07:51
-..as I strode out -to win the game for Glamorgan.	0:07:51	0:07:55
-Towards the end of my schooldays...	0:08:05	0:08:08
-..you were in the university -in Aberystwyth at the time.	0:08:08	0:08:11
-I'd started pole-vaulting at school.	0:08:12	0:08:16
-The problem with pole-vaulting is...	0:08:16	0:08:19
-..when you go up high, -where do you land?	0:08:19	0:08:22
-They have all kinds of pits now -to ensure that you land comfortably.	0:08:23	0:08:29
-The best place to practise -pole-vaulting...	0:08:29	0:08:33
-..was a hay shed.	0:08:34	0:08:35
-The hay would cushion your fall -as you landed.	0:08:35	0:08:42
-I spent hours in this barn.	0:08:42	0:08:45
-I didn't know that. That's the -first time I've heard that story.	0:08:46	0:08:50
-In my final two years at school...	0:08:50	0:08:55
-..this is where I trained, -in this hayshed.	0:08:55	0:08:59
-What happened?	0:09:00	0:09:01
-What happened? - -I had a trip to Colwyn Bay.	0:09:01	0:09:04
-Were you a champion?	0:09:05	0:09:07
-Were you a champion? - -That's right.	0:09:07	0:09:09
-One of the greatest pleasures -of my youth...	0:09:11	0:09:15
-..was playing football -for Newcastle Emlyn.	0:09:15	0:09:18
-I'd play on our field - -Vicarage Park.	0:09:18	0:09:22
-I could walk down all the way -from the house...	0:09:22	0:09:27
-..wearing my kit.	0:09:27	0:09:29
-I didn't have to go through town.	0:09:29	0:09:31
-I could climb over hedges -to reach the field.	0:09:31	0:09:34
-We used to come down here -as young boys.	0:09:34	0:09:37
-We'd watch our heroes.	0:09:37	0:09:40
-The main advantage was finding out -what was happening...	0:09:40	0:09:45
-..by listening -to the other spectators.	0:09:45	0:09:48
-I remember one spectator -commenting on a shot...	0:09:48	0:09:52
-..which hit the back of the net.	0:09:52	0:09:55
-He said...	0:09:55	0:09:57
-.."That ball picked up speed -the further it went.	0:09:57	0:10:03
-"Thank goodness there's -a net at the back of the goal.	0:10:04	0:10:09
-"Otherwise, -it would still be going now."	0:10:10	0:10:12
-One who played with us -during that time was Dic Jones.	0:10:14	0:10:20
-Dic would start composing cynghanedd -in the middle of a game.	0:10:21	0:10:26
-He'd expect us -to compose one in reply!	0:10:26	0:10:29
-He would start a line...	0:10:29	0:10:32
-..or even start an "englyn".	0:10:32	0:10:36
-I remember one "englyn" that was -never finished on the field of play.	0:10:37	0:10:42
-He'd been shouting the first -two lines of the "englyn"...	0:10:42	0:10:46
-..throughout the game.	0:10:47	0:10:49
-"Quick the boy who kicked the ball -into the net in no time at all."	0:10:49	0:10:53
-He came up to me -just after we were awarded a corner.	0:10:53	0:10:58
-We were side by side -waiting for the ball.	0:10:59	0:11:01
-He said to me - he was expecting me -to give him the last two lines.	0:11:02	0:11:07
-"Why haven't you finished it?" -he said?	0:11:07	0:11:10
-I couldn't finish it.	0:11:10	0:11:12
-I couldn't play football -and write poetry at the same time.	0:11:12	0:11:18
-.	0:11:31	0:11:32
-888	0:11:37	0:11:37
-888 - -888	0:11:37	0:11:39
-Well, we're here -at Bryngwenith Chapel.	0:11:51	0:11:55
-It's one of the chapels -that is familiar to us.	0:11:55	0:11:59
-We've been here to preach, I've been -here to a cymanfa festival.	0:11:59	0:12:03
-The three of us have been here -many times to an eisteddfod.	0:12:03	0:12:09
-Eisteddfodau used to be held -in chapels.	0:12:09	0:12:13
-Many eisteddfodau were held -in village halls and chapels.	0:12:13	0:12:17
-Being in a place like this...	0:12:17	0:12:19
-..brings memories flooding back.	0:12:19	0:12:22
-There were eisteddfodau -throughout the year.	0:12:28	0:12:31
-We would attend eisteddfodau -in many towns and villages in Dyfed.	0:12:32	0:12:36
-There would be three eisteddfodau -a year in places like Aberporth.	0:12:36	0:12:40
-We would attend eisteddfodau...	0:12:41	0:12:43
-..on New Year's Day every year.	0:12:43	0:12:46
-The greatest eisteddfod in these -parts was Rhydlewis Eisteddfod.	0:12:46	0:12:51
-We'd learnt numerous pieces -of poetry and prose...	0:12:51	0:12:56
-..in the course of 15 years.	0:12:56	0:12:59
-What I remember most vividly -about the eisteddfodau...	0:12:59	0:13:03
-..was how late -they would finish at night.	0:13:04	0:13:07
-They would continue -into the early hours.	0:13:07	0:13:10
-You could see the condensation -running down the windows and walls.	0:13:10	0:13:14
-People would go home -from the eisteddfod...	0:13:14	0:13:18
-..and start milking on the farms.	0:13:18	0:13:20
-The eisteddfod in Rhydlewis was -well known for its late finishes.	0:13:20	0:13:25
-It would always -go on until milking time.	0:13:25	0:13:28
-I remember once it finished -at 2.00am.	0:13:28	0:13:32
-They held an emergency meeting -to see where they'd gone wrong!	0:13:32	0:13:37
-This is where our father -won a chair for writing a poem.	0:13:41	0:13:47
-We were all glad...	0:13:48	0:13:51
-..he had experienced -that memorable accomplishment.	0:13:51	0:13:55
-Even though -we were never forced to do it..	0:13:58	0:14:01
-..I can't remember ever going -on stage without feeling nervous.	0:14:01	0:14:07
-There was always a fear.	0:14:08	0:14:10
-The fear of forgetting the words -more often than not.	0:14:10	0:14:13
-I always wanted to do justice -to the piece I was reciting.	0:14:13	0:14:19
-That's very true.	0:14:20	0:14:24
-We won a number of competitions -over the years.	0:14:24	0:14:27
-We also -lost our share of competitions.	0:14:28	0:14:31
-Far more.	0:14:31	0:14:33
-Another thing I remember...	0:14:33	0:14:35
-..was that Mam was never angry -when we lost at any eisteddfod.	0:14:36	0:14:41
-Once the eisteddfod was over...	0:14:43	0:14:45
-..it was time to look ahead -to the next eisteddfod.	0:14:45	0:14:48
-On the subject -of joining the ministry...	0:15:02	0:15:05
-..I was sure from the start -that it was the right thing for me.	0:15:05	0:15:09
-We had a great-grandfather.	0:15:11	0:15:16
-He was a minister, -as were his two brothers.	0:15:16	0:15:21
-The three were ministers.	0:15:21	0:15:23
-We were very aware -of that tradition within the family.	0:15:24	0:15:30
-I remember the night -when Jim returned home...	0:15:37	0:15:40
-..and entered Parc Nest -through the kitchen door...	0:15:41	0:15:44
-..and told us as a family...	0:15:45	0:15:47
-..that he had decided -to enter the ministry.	0:15:47	0:15:52
-Of course, I was raised as a child -attending Ebenezer chapel.	0:15:53	0:15:59
-I'd only known one minister at that -chapel - Professor Trefor Evans...	0:16:00	0:16:05
-..a professor at the Presbyterian -College in Carmarthen.	0:16:05	0:16:09
-I admired his way...	0:16:09	0:16:12
-..of dealing with the Scriptures -and the Word of God.	0:16:12	0:16:18
-From my admiration of his sermons...	0:16:21	0:16:25
-..grew my desire -to become a minister.	0:16:25	0:16:30
-After three years -in the theological college...	0:16:35	0:16:37
-..I was called to the ministry -at Bethania in Tumble.	0:16:37	0:16:41
-I found it -a very fascinating chapel.	0:16:41	0:16:44
-I was a farmer's son.	0:16:44	0:16:45
-Almost everyone -who attended the chapel...	0:16:45	0:16:49
-..was connected -to the coal industry.	0:16:49	0:16:51
-Even though we all belonged to -the same county - Carmarthenshire...	0:16:52	0:16:56
-..some of the people there -were very different...	0:16:56	0:17:00
-..to the people -I knew in Newcastle Emlyn.	0:17:00	0:17:04
-At the end of the four-year period, -I moved to Bangor.	0:17:05	0:17:09
-This is where I've been ever since.	0:17:09	0:17:12
-It was the natural path to follow...	0:17:12	0:17:16
-..because of the upbringing...	0:17:16	0:17:19
-..and the ideal -of doing something constructive...	0:17:19	0:17:23
-..and offering support -to one community or another.	0:17:23	0:17:26
-I was first called to the ministry -to Henllan Amgoed...	0:17:26	0:17:30
-..in south Carmarthenshire, -not far from home.	0:17:31	0:17:34
-After a period -of nine years there...	0:17:34	0:17:38
-..in south-west Carmarthenshire...	0:17:38	0:17:41
-..I was called -to serve as a minister in Neath.	0:17:41	0:17:45
-Theological radicalism -was at the fore in the college.	0:17:46	0:17:53
-From that moment onwards...	0:17:53	0:17:57
-..I learnt that...	0:17:57	0:17:59
-..asking questions -was part of the faith.	0:18:01	0:18:05
-We shouldn't accept everything -without challenging it occasionally.	0:18:05	0:18:10
-Gradually, throughout my ministry...	0:18:10	0:18:14
-..I asked more and more questions.	0:18:15	0:18:18
-They became more prominent -in my mind.	0:18:18	0:18:23
-Maybe they became -more apparent in my sermons too.	0:18:23	0:18:28
-In the end, -I drew the conclusion...	0:18:30	0:18:33
-..that I shouldn't preach -about doubt.	0:18:33	0:18:38
-When you're delivering a sermon...	0:18:40	0:18:42
-..you should be stating something -that's defined and assertive.	0:18:43	0:18:47
-The Gospel of Christ itself...	0:18:50	0:18:52
-..I don't think we will see -another gospel like it.	0:18:52	0:18:58
-His message -is eternal and everlasting.	0:18:58	0:19:02
-In this day and age...	0:19:02	0:19:04
-..amidst a backdrop of war, -disillusionment...	0:19:04	0:19:07
-..and chaos of our generation...	0:19:07	0:19:12
-..for me, the Gospel of Jesus Christ -is most certainly...	0:19:12	0:19:17
-..one of the answers if not -the most important answer of all.	0:19:17	0:19:23
-I'm not questioning -Jesus Christ's teaching in any way.	0:19:28	0:19:33
-He is the hero.	0:19:34	0:19:36
-His teachings remain firm.	0:19:37	0:19:39
-What I have questioned...	0:19:40	0:19:42
-..is the way the Church -has discussed his teachings...	0:19:42	0:19:46
-..and interpreted that doctrine.	0:19:47	0:19:51
-I feel that the Church...	0:19:52	0:19:54
-..and this has occurred -throughout history...	0:19:54	0:19:58
-..the Church has lost sight -of Christ's humanity.	0:19:59	0:20:04
-The emphasis has been placed -on his deity.	0:20:04	0:20:08
-This is a question -I ask myself frequently.	0:20:09	0:20:12
-Would Jesus Christ want us -to call him "Lord"?	0:20:12	0:20:17
-The ethos of his teachings -opposes that concept.	0:20:19	0:20:25
-Would he?	0:20:26	0:20:28
-Would he want us -to build these grand buildings...	0:20:29	0:20:34
-..to reflect -his dominance and Lordship?	0:20:37	0:20:40
-It raised concerns and doubts -in my mind.	0:20:41	0:20:44
-By now, I've come to realize...	0:20:51	0:20:56
-..that the Church -has been drowned by doctrine.	0:20:57	0:21:03
-As a result, -we've lost sight of Jesus.	0:21:04	0:21:10
-I truly hope that we will see -the Christian Church...	0:21:12	0:21:17
-..rediscovering Jesus Christ -as a person.	0:21:18	0:21:22
-He's a far greater person...	0:21:24	0:21:28
-..than the doctrine -has ventured to teach us.	0:21:28	0:21:32
-That's when I decided that it was -time for me to change my career.	0:21:42	0:21:47
-The doubts were increasing...	0:21:48	0:21:52
-..and that's why -I changed my career.	0:21:53	0:21:56
-I was very interested in drama.	0:21:56	0:21:59
-I became a lecturer -of Welsh and Drama...	0:21:59	0:22:02
-..in Trinity College, Carmarthen.	0:22:03	0:22:06
-After seven years in Carmarthen...	0:22:06	0:22:10
-..these seven-year cycles have been -a prominent part of my life...	0:22:10	0:22:15
-..I then moved to work in the BBC -in Cardiff.	0:22:17	0:22:20
-I became a script editor.	0:22:20	0:22:22
-My main responsibility was -as script editor for Pobol y Cwm.	0:22:22	0:22:27
-The move from Neath to Cardiff -was a strange move.	0:22:28	0:22:32
-I tried for numerous positions...	0:22:32	0:22:34
-..because Menna -was working full-time in Cardiff.	0:22:35	0:22:38
-She was the chief breadwinner -within the family.	0:22:39	0:22:44
-After some discussion, we decided -that it would be wiser for us...	0:22:45	0:22:50
-..to move closer to Cardiff -and closer to Menna's workplace.	0:22:50	0:22:54
-We realized that there were -a number of possibilities.	0:22:54	0:22:58
-I thought I'd find an opportunity -to become a minister near Cardiff.	0:22:58	0:23:04
-That never transpired.	0:23:04	0:23:06
-I then applied for a job with the -BBC - a job in the News Department.	0:23:06	0:23:13
-It was a natural progression -for me...	0:23:13	0:23:16
-..because -I'd had an active interest...	0:23:16	0:23:20
-..in current affairs and politics -over the years.	0:23:21	0:23:26
-It was early spring and 24 million -tons of coal had been stockpiled...	0:23:26	0:23:32
-..but according to Arthur Scargill, -President of the NUM...	0:23:32	0:23:36
-..there was no way -to avert the strike.	0:23:36	0:23:38
-The NUM don't want a dispute.	0:23:39	0:23:42
-A period I remember quite vividly...	0:23:42	0:23:45
-..because my wife Menna came -from a coal mining background...	0:23:45	0:23:49
-..her father was a miner.	0:23:50	0:23:52
-I spent a year -reporting the miners' strike.	0:23:52	0:23:57
-It was a very daunting time.	0:23:57	0:23:59
-While we're talking about Menna...	0:24:05	0:24:08
-..it's thanks to her that I -developed a keen interest in music.	0:24:08	0:24:13
-She had a keen interest in music.	0:24:14	0:24:17
-She had been a member of the -National Youth Orchestra of Wales.	0:24:17	0:24:20
-Her musical training -started at a very young age.	0:24:20	0:24:24
-I remember during her illness...	0:24:24	0:24:27
-..she was struck down -with motor neuron disease...	0:24:28	0:24:32
-..and what I remember -more than anything...	0:24:32	0:24:35
-..is the way music -became a great comfort to her.	0:24:35	0:24:40
-It would bring a smile to her face.	0:24:40	0:24:43
-There was a smile on her face -even through the darkest days.	0:24:43	0:24:48
-What I remember more than anything -is her courage.	0:24:48	0:24:52
-One learns a lot -during hard times like that.	0:24:53	0:24:55
-It wasn't something -that only we had experienced.	0:24:56	0:24:59
-It both shocks and surprises one...	0:24:59	0:25:03
-..to see a person's courage -throughout troubled times.	0:25:03	0:25:07
-And their refusal -to become bitter about illness.	0:25:07	0:25:10
-.	0:25:15	0:25:16
-888	0:25:18	0:25:18
-888 - -888	0:25:18	0:25:20
-"The north-east wind sows fern seeds	0:25:24	0:25:28
-"On the ragged slopes -above Cwmbach	0:25:28	0:25:32
-"I remember resting there as a child -with the sun scorching the fern	0:25:33	0:25:38
-"Every park was familiar	0:25:38	0:25:40
-"Parc Llwyncelyn, Parc y Plaen	0:25:40	0:25:42
-"Cwm Mora, -Bariwns Coch and the Llain	0:25:42	0:25:46
-"Parc Nest farmyard -sheltering the lake	0:25:46	0:25:49
-"The willow -surrendering its branches	0:25:49	0:25:52
-"Like tears into the water	0:25:53	0:25:56
-"They were the summers -of laughter and cricket	0:25:56	0:25:59
-"Dat batting after the harvested hay -was safely stored in the barn	0:26:00	0:26:06
-"The ball falling into the lake	0:26:07	0:26:09
-"Would mark the end of the game"	0:26:09	0:26:12
-The starting point for me -as an author...	0:26:13	0:26:17
-..as a poet...	0:26:17	0:26:19
-..was the commission -to translate Under Milk Wood.	0:26:20	0:26:25
-I had the part of the First Voice...	0:26:25	0:26:28
-..in the early performances -at Laugharne.	0:26:28	0:26:33
-I took the part -of the First Voice...	0:26:34	0:26:36
-..for two performances.	0:26:38	0:26:41
-Gwynne D Evans then asked me...	0:26:42	0:26:45
-..if I would be interested -in translating the play into Welsh.	0:26:45	0:26:51
-I told him I was interested -and spent six months translating it.	0:26:52	0:26:56
-That's what stirred -my desire to start writing.	0:26:57	0:27:02
-Poetry was regularly heard -in our home.	0:27:08	0:27:11
-We competed in many eisteddfodau -and learnt many different poems.	0:27:11	0:27:16
-Maybe it's the best apprenticeship.	0:27:16	0:27:20
-To learn poetry and learn -as many poems as you possibly can...	0:27:20	0:27:25
-..and then start writing -your own poetry later on in life.	0:27:25	0:27:30
-My parents had a keen interest -in poetry.	0:27:31	0:27:34
-One maid who worked in the house...	0:27:34	0:27:37
-..who played a large part -in our upbringing...	0:27:37	0:27:40
-..she couldn't understand -why we discussed poetry so much.	0:27:41	0:27:47
-She would call it "that old poetry".	0:27:47	0:27:50
-"What is this 'old poetry' -you talk about all the time?	0:27:52	0:27:56
-"There's work to do."	0:27:56	0:27:58
-She wanted to see the chores -around the farm being completed.	0:27:58	0:28:02
-Sometimes, all the work -on the farm would stop...	0:28:03	0:28:07
-..so that we could discuss poetry.	0:28:07	0:28:10
-Many poetic contests were held...	0:28:17	0:28:20
-..and a culture for literary -composition existed in the area.	0:28:21	0:28:24
-My father and I, with another chapel -member from Newcastle Emlyn...	0:28:24	0:28:30
-..would regularly attend classes -given by T Llew Jones.	0:28:30	0:28:35
-That's where -I learnt about the "cynganeddion".	0:28:37	0:28:43
-They were truly -inspirational classes.	0:28:44	0:28:48
-Since we only had a small van...	0:28:48	0:28:51
-..and that they were -giving someone else a lift there...	0:28:51	0:28:54
-..I was never able -to attend those classes.	0:28:54	0:28:57
-That explains...	0:28:57	0:28:59
-..why I shall never sit in the Chair -at the National Eisteddfod.	0:29:00	0:29:05
-I should have been allowed -to attend those classes.	0:29:05	0:29:09
-It's too late now.	0:29:09	0:29:11
-There something very appealing -about "cynghanedd".	0:29:11	0:29:14
-It guides your thoughts as well as -sound pleasing to the ear.	0:29:15	0:29:20
-A lot of people talk about -the limitations of strict verse.	0:29:21	0:29:27
-There are no true limitations...	0:29:27	0:29:31
-..only the limitations of its rules.	0:29:31	0:29:35
-With these so-called limitations...	0:29:36	0:29:41
-..you are guided towards an image -or a vision within the "cynghanedd".	0:29:41	0:29:49
-What inspired me -to write the most...	0:29:52	0:29:56
-..is the fact -that I live in Cardiff...	0:29:57	0:29:59
-..and I feel -a sense of deep longing.	0:29:59	0:30:02
-I long for the atmosphere -of west Wales.	0:30:02	0:30:06
-Some people ask me -why I don't return to live there.	0:30:08	0:30:12
-There are personal reasons for that.	0:30:13	0:30:16
-They make it almost impossible -for me to do that.	0:30:16	0:30:19
-I have grandchildren -who live near me nowadays.	0:30:20	0:30:24
-It's not just the sense of longing -for people and material things...	0:30:27	0:30:33
-..that inspires me to write.	0:30:33	0:30:35
-My writing is filled with joy too.	0:30:36	0:30:38
-I feel strongly...	0:30:40	0:30:42
-..that the positive influences -in my life stem from that base...	0:30:42	0:30:48
-..the cultural, close community -that once surrounded me.	0:30:48	0:30:53
-During the 40 years -I've lived in Bangor...	0:31:04	0:31:08
-..I've also worked -as a chaplain in the hospital.	0:31:08	0:31:13
-I must say...	0:31:15	0:31:17
-..that meeting patients -and people who are suffering...	0:31:19	0:31:25
-..has strengthened -my faith enormously.	0:31:26	0:31:29
-I've seen people coming to terms -with pain and suffering.	0:31:31	0:31:36
-"Within your cell, outwardly brave	0:31:40	0:31:43
-"A breath of air and welcome respite -to conceal the pain	0:31:43	0:31:48
-"Like a slow ship from its haven - -venturing	0:31:49	0:31:52
-"As the breeze anoints -the silver sunshine"	0:31:53	0:31:57
-It came as no surprise...	0:31:57	0:31:59
-..that when I saw "The Battle" -as a set theme...	0:31:59	0:32:05
-..for an ode -in a National Eisteddfod....	0:32:05	0:32:09
-..I thought immediately, -as far as I'm concerned...	0:32:09	0:32:14
-..the greatest battle in life is the -battle against death and mortality.	0:32:14	0:32:20
-"Walking from the exit to the car, -arm in arm with a loved one	0:32:30	0:32:34
-"A pair, seemingly -in the early throes of life	0:32:34	0:32:38
-"It's a time of regeneration"	0:32:39	0:32:42
-Some of the crowd have already seen -"Eilwon" rise to his feet.	0:32:45	0:32:51
-At the time, -the Mistress of the Robes...	0:32:53	0:32:57
-..was Pencerddes Moelfre...	0:32:57	0:33:02
-..a woman who lived...	0:33:02	0:33:05
-..across the road from my parents' -house in Newcastle Emlyn...	0:33:05	0:33:10
-..after they'd left the farm.	0:33:10	0:33:12
-She carried the robe -as they all walked up to greet me.	0:33:13	0:33:18
-She enrobed me -ready for the ceremony.	0:33:19	0:33:23
-She hadn't realized beforehand -who had won.	0:33:25	0:33:29
-Then, we came face to face.	0:33:29	0:33:32
-She asked me...	0:33:34	0:33:36
-.."Do your parents know about this?"	0:33:36	0:33:39
-It was as if she was asking...	0:33:40	0:33:42
-..if they knew I'd been pinching -apples from the vicar's orchard!	0:33:43	0:33:47
-That I'd been up to mischief!	0:33:47	0:33:50
-"Yes, yes," I replied, -"They're here, in the audience."	0:33:52	0:33:58
-My father always helped her -during the week of the Eisteddfod.	0:34:00	0:34:05
-He would carry the bin -from her house to the road.	0:34:06	0:34:11
-If they were in the Eisteddfod, -what had happened to the bin?	0:34:12	0:34:16
-She asked, -"Have they taken my bin out?"	0:34:17	0:34:21
-"Yes, yes," I replied.	0:34:21	0:34:23
-I knew that my father -had done so before leaving home.	0:34:23	0:34:27
-She then proceeded to enrobe me.	0:34:30	0:34:33
-I think that's the most original -greeting any Chaired Bard...	0:34:34	0:34:41
-..has had -before walking towards the stage...	0:34:41	0:34:45
-..to receive his Chair.	0:34:45	0:34:47
-The name of the winning bard...	0:34:47	0:34:49
-..is the Reverend -John Gwilym Jones, Bangor.	0:34:50	0:34:54
-The Bard may be seated -in his Chair.	0:34:54	0:34:58
-I think that competing -under an alias...	0:35:14	0:35:18
-..encourages -an inexperienced writer.	0:35:18	0:35:21
-That person can submit the work...	0:35:23	0:35:27
-..without anyone -being award of their identity.	0:35:28	0:35:31
-The adjudicator is able -to make a fair appraisal.	0:35:31	0:35:36
-We live in a very small country.	0:35:36	0:35:39
-We know one another too well.	0:35:41	0:35:43
-It is nice being able -to compete under an alias.	0:35:43	0:35:46
-I competed for years...	0:35:50	0:35:52
-..before adjudicators -took any notice of my work.	0:35:52	0:35:57
-In 1979, the year of -the first Devolution Referendum...	0:35:57	0:36:01
-..Jon Dressel, an American who was -a staff member at Trinity College...	0:36:01	0:36:07
-..and I decided -to enter a joint composition.	0:36:07	0:36:11
-At the time, the conditions -applied to the plural.	0:36:11	0:36:16
-The rules stipulated that...	0:36:17	0:36:19
-.."contestants must supply their -real names in a sealed envelope."	0:36:19	0:36:25
-That's what we did!	0:36:25	0:36:27
-When they opened the envelope...	0:36:27	0:36:29
-..they realized two contestants -had submitted one poem...	0:36:30	0:36:34
-..and a Crown could not -be awarded to joint winners.	0:36:34	0:36:38
-We three favoured -various submissions...	0:36:39	0:36:42
-..before agreeing that Janus's work -was worthy of the Crown.	0:36:42	0:36:47
-However, having opened the envelope -which contained Janus's real name...	0:36:48	0:36:56
-..we realized -that Janus had violated...	0:36:56	0:36:59
-..one of the fundamental rules -of the Eisteddfod.	0:36:59	0:37:03
-We decided to disqualify Janus -from the competition.	0:37:03	0:37:07
-The pseudonym we chose...	0:37:07	0:37:09
-..was Janus - the Roman God -who looked in opposite directions.	0:37:09	0:37:14
-They've been known ever since -as "Cerddi Ianws" - Janus's Poems.	0:37:15	0:37:20
-It was a light-hearted attempt...	0:37:20	0:37:24
-..a sort of trick - bending -the rules with a joint composition.	0:37:24	0:37:30
-However, -there was a more serious element.	0:37:31	0:37:35
-Both of us felt...	0:37:36	0:37:39
-..that Wales was missing -a huge opportunity.	0:37:40	0:37:44
-Wales was committing -some kind of suicide...	0:37:45	0:37:49
-..by refusing this opportunity.	0:37:50	0:37:52
-The failed Referendum is the central -themes of those poems.	0:37:52	0:37:56
-They reflect my disappointment -with the outcome...	0:37:56	0:37:59
-..and raise -other fundamental questions.	0:37:59	0:38:04
-What does the future hold for Wales?	0:38:04	0:38:07
-Will Wales fade into oblivion? -It was a grave concern.	0:38:07	0:38:11
-The poems conclude...	0:38:11	0:38:15
-..that we need -to change our attitude...	0:38:15	0:38:19
-..or Wales will cease to exist.	0:38:19	0:38:22
-That question was posed -by many people eventually...	0:38:25	0:38:29
-..and thankfully, -there was a second Referendum...	0:38:29	0:38:33
-..and victory was secured -by a hair's breadth.	0:38:33	0:38:36
-We call upon "Dilys" to stand.	0:38:38	0:38:42
-I competed for a number of years.	0:38:50	0:38:54
-I competed for the Crown -many times...	0:38:56	0:38:58
-..before succeeding in -the Fishguard National Eisteddfod.	0:38:59	0:39:03
-The Eisteddfod was almost cancelled -because of the heavy rain.	0:39:05	0:39:11
-Terrible mud - -I'd never seen so much mud.	0:39:11	0:39:14
-The organizer had sent me -a letter informing me that I'd won.	0:39:16	0:39:20
-He asked me to come in -so that they could measure my head.	0:39:21	0:39:25
-I thought he was pulling my leg.	0:39:25	0:39:28
-So I didn't go.	0:39:29	0:39:31
-When you see footage -of the ceremony...	0:39:31	0:39:35
-..it's blatantly obvious -that the crown didn't fit my head!	0:39:35	0:39:40
-W J Gruffydd was the Archdruid.	0:39:40	0:39:43
-He had a lot of trouble. -"It will fit eventually," he said.	0:39:43	0:39:47
-It never did. -I hadn't measured my head.	0:39:48	0:39:52
-Don't blame the crown!	0:39:52	0:39:54
-It will fit eventually.	0:39:59	0:40:01
-"I have a photograph	0:40:02	0:40:05
-"Ten children -in their Sunday best clothes	0:40:05	0:40:08
-"Laughing and teasing the sunshine	0:40:08	0:40:11
-"Between Sunday school -and afternoon tea	0:40:11	0:40:14
-"The parents cheerfully leaning -on the gates to the meadows	0:40:14	0:40:18
-"As the buds open up in springtime	0:40:18	0:40:22
-"This was a day to celebrate -that the family were all together	0:40:23	0:40:28
-"As May approached, -who would dare forecast snow?	0:40:30	0:40:35
-"Mother - a sprightly girl, smiling -at me, though I wasn't there	0:40:36	0:40:41
-"Her white blouse hiding her bosom -that would raise children in time	0:40:41	0:40:46
-"What did she write in her diary -that day?	0:40:47	0:40:51
-"The memory of Dat -tenderly last night	0:40:52	0:40:56
-"Crossing the boundary -of the first desire in Cwm Cych"	0:40:57	0:41:02
-When a letter arrived -from the same organizer...	0:41:07	0:41:10
-..for the Newport -National Eisteddfod...	0:41:10	0:41:13
-..he emphasized in the letter...	0:41:13	0:41:15
-.."Please ensure you come in -so that we can measure your head."	0:41:16	0:41:20
-I slipped in quietly on the -Saturday morning of the Eisteddfod.	0:41:20	0:41:25
-At least the Crown -was a perfect fit!	0:41:26	0:41:29
-.	0:41:29	0:41:30
-888	0:41:35	0:41:35
-888 - -888	0:41:35	0:41:37
-The most remarkable National -Eisteddfod for us as a family...	0:41:40	0:41:45
-..was the one in Bro Colwyn.	0:41:45	0:41:47
-I was coming to the end -of my term as the Archdruid.	0:41:48	0:41:52
-In that Eisteddfod...	0:41:52	0:41:54
-..Aled was crowned -on Monday afternoon...	0:41:54	0:41:59
-..and Dylan was chaired -on Friday afternoon.	0:41:59	0:42:04
-It is my greatest pleasure -to announce...	0:42:06	0:42:09
-..that the Crowned Bard...	0:42:10	0:42:12
-..of the 1995 Bro Colwyn -National Eisteddfod...	0:42:12	0:42:17
-..is Aled Gwyn.	0:42:17	0:42:19
-The poem Aled had written...	0:42:19	0:42:23
-..also added to the emotion -of the occasion for me...	0:42:23	0:42:30
-..because of Gwennan.	0:42:30	0:42:33
-The background to the series -of poems entitled "Melodiau"...	0:42:33	0:42:38
-..was my granddaughter -Gwennan's terminal illness.	0:42:39	0:42:45
-The symptoms became apparent -on her 5th birthday.	0:42:45	0:42:51
-One of the aspects I noticed -at the time was her courage.	0:42:53	0:42:58
-She was always looking forward...	0:42:59	0:43:01
-..never willing to accept -that her time was running out.	0:43:01	0:43:05
-She looked forward -to all sorts of events.	0:43:05	0:43:09
-She asked her mother -hours before she died...	0:43:09	0:43:13
-.."Mam, is everything -going to be alright?"	0:43:13	0:43:18
-Her mother said, -"Yes, everything will be fine."	0:43:18	0:43:24
-One way of getting it out -of my system was to write poetry...	0:43:24	0:43:30
-..about the experience -and the steps along the way.	0:43:30	0:43:34
-I remembered the songs -I had sung to her.	0:43:34	0:43:37
-I remember the songs -the family had sung to her.	0:43:37	0:43:40
-I remember the songs she had learnt -and the songs she would sing.	0:43:41	0:43:45
-They are the foundation of the poem.	0:43:45	0:43:47
-"You faced your Everest -before your time	0:43:50	0:43:53
-"You struggle climbing the stairs -to your room	0:43:53	0:43:57
-"To read all the stories -you know so well	0:43:58	0:44:03
-"We went through them all in turn	0:44:04	0:44:07
-"We were only just beginning, -my dearest love	0:44:07	0:44:11
-"The books will remain and we shall -flick through them again	0:44:15	0:44:19
-"We shall relive your response -to the stories and pictures	0:44:19	0:44:23
-"I revisited every nook and cranny -where you used to hide	0:44:25	0:44:29
-"Behind the piano, behind the door	0:44:29	0:44:32
-"The hedge at the bottom -of the garden	0:44:32	0:44:35
-"The far side of the old settle -and under the bed	0:44:35	0:44:39
-"The screech of my finding you -echoing noisily all around	0:44:40	0:44:43
-"On the wall near the front door	0:44:46	0:44:48
-"I saw once again the mark -where we would record your height	0:44:49	0:44:53
-"Every now and then	0:44:53	0:44:55
-"A little growth every time	0:44:55	0:44:58
-"Until the last time	0:44:58	0:45:01
-"We won't make another mark -just in case"	0:45:03	0:45:08
-Looking back at the poem, -it's very sad.	0:45:12	0:45:16
-It's part of this family forever.	0:45:18	0:45:21
-I must say one thing...	0:45:21	0:45:23
-..it's her Crown, not my Crown.	0:45:23	0:45:27
-It's a bitter-sweet reminder.	0:45:27	0:45:31
-This year...	0:45:36	0:45:37
-..after competing three times -and coming close on one occasion...	0:45:37	0:45:43
-..I heard that I'd won the chair.	0:45:43	0:45:46
-That was a very different thrill.	0:45:48	0:45:50
-It had been an ambition of mine -to compete for the Chair for years.	0:45:50	0:45:55
-It was such an ambition, that -winning it just once is enough.	0:45:55	0:46:01
-I'll never compete for it again.	0:46:07	0:46:09
-"Before the minutes bring the night -to embrace us coldly	0:46:10	0:46:14
-"There remains between us	0:46:15	0:46:17
-..and the anguish -brought about by death to part us	0:46:17	0:46:19
-"Our own duet	0:46:19	0:46:21
-"As pure -as the light of the rainbow	0:46:24	0:46:26
-"Is the deep darkness that will be"	0:46:26	0:46:30
-I was travelling back to Cardiff -over Epynt Mountain...	0:46:31	0:46:35
-..one autumn evening.	0:46:38	0:46:40
-We saw the most stunning sunset.	0:46:43	0:46:46
-We had to stop the car.	0:46:46	0:46:48
-We got out, -stood and marvelled at the sight.	0:46:48	0:46:54
-We took a few photos of the sunset.	0:46:55	0:46:58
-The sun setting.	0:46:58	0:47:01
-Of course, I wrote -at the beginning of the ode...	0:47:01	0:47:06
-..in reality, -the sun wasn't setting.	0:47:06	0:47:09
-It was deceit, an illusion - like -attending a theatre performance.	0:47:09	0:47:14
-That's what happened -on the Epynt that evening.	0:47:14	0:47:18
-"The unworldly moment	0:47:21	0:47:24
-"The moment -of the vicious visitation	0:47:25	0:47:28
-"The recurring moment -that wounded so many"	0:47:29	0:47:35
-The dreadful war in Iraq...	0:47:37	0:47:41
-..and all the resultant deaths...	0:47:43	0:47:47
-..following the invasion of Iraq...	0:47:48	0:47:50
-..had been on my mind -for many months.	0:47:50	0:47:54
-It influenced my work.	0:47:55	0:47:57
-And it's on Epynt Mountain...	0:48:00	0:48:02
-..that some of the soldiers -currently serving in Iraq...	0:48:02	0:48:06
-..were trained.	0:48:07	0:48:08
-It's...	0:48:09	0:48:11
-It's a tragic episode -in the history of Wales.	0:48:13	0:48:16
-40,000 acres of land -have been "stolen"...	0:48:19	0:48:25
-..to teach soldiers how to kill.	0:48:25	0:48:28
-I then go on -to talk about the sunset...	0:48:28	0:48:32
-..and how it will set -for me and every one of us.	0:48:32	0:48:37
-Death is part of life.	0:48:39	0:48:41
-It's not unnatural.	0:48:41	0:48:45
-We must die - it's a fact of life.	0:48:45	0:48:49
-The way in which we face death...	0:48:49	0:48:54
-..determines how we live our lives.	0:48:55	0:48:58
-"The final breath of our day	0:49:01	0:49:03
-"We stand before -its disappearing magic	0:49:03	0:49:07
-"And suddenly	0:49:07	0:49:09
-"We are blinded by the darkness	0:49:09	0:49:14
-"And the end of our duet"	0:49:16	0:49:18
-We must be very careful...	0:49:21	0:49:25
-..not to be fooled...	0:49:26	0:49:29
-..by the earth's cycle.	0:49:32	0:49:34
-The sun isn't setting. -We turn away from the sun.	0:49:34	0:49:38
-We can also be fooled -into believing in a heaven...	0:49:39	0:49:43
-..which doesn't exist.	0:49:43	0:49:45
-"A defined moment	0:49:47	0:49:51
-"When Arawn will come for us"	0:49:51	0:49:55
-As brothers, I feel -there's a close bond between us.	0:50:01	0:50:05
-We talk regularly, we phone -one another, we keep in touch...	0:50:05	0:50:08
-..and discuss different matters.	0:50:09	0:50:11
-We've been close friends -throughout our lives.	0:50:11	0:50:14
-I remember my father -once telling me...	0:50:14	0:50:18
-..as we were travelling -in the car...	0:50:18	0:50:21
-.."Aled, I'll tell you -what I treasure most dearly."	0:50:21	0:50:25
-"What's that?" I asked.	0:50:25	0:50:27
-"That the three of you -get on so well."	0:50:29	0:50:32
-Jim is the one who has imagination.	0:50:35	0:50:39
-Jim could turn life into a drama.	0:50:39	0:50:43
-I admire his intellectual talent.	0:50:47	0:50:50
-He could have gone on -to become an academic.	0:50:51	0:50:57
-He opted to enter into the ministry -and remained a minister...	0:50:57	0:51:01
-..and for that, I admire him.	0:51:01	0:51:03
-With Aled, as his stature shows...	0:51:06	0:51:10
-..there's a stability about him.	0:51:10	0:51:13
-He's totally reliable.	0:51:13	0:51:15
-We can rely on him always, -whatever the situation.	0:51:15	0:51:20
-That's how it's always been.	0:51:20	0:51:23
-For as long as I live, and the same -goes for Jim and Aled...	0:51:29	0:51:33
-..we shall always -be known as Bois Parc Nest.	0:51:34	0:51:37
-There's a special bond -between us and the farm...	0:51:39	0:51:42
-..and the life we shared together -in the family home.	0:51:44	0:51:49
-S4C subtitles by Simian 04	0:52:38	0:52:41
-.	0:52:41	0:52:41

Bois Parc Nest

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