0:00:00 > 0:00:01-
0:00:08 > 0:00:13- It was 1967 at Bala - everyone was - amazed to see a woman standing up.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27- Is there a reason why women have not - been important poets in the past?
0:00:28 > 0:00:34- I don't see why that should be. - Women do everything nowadays.
0:00:35 > 0:00:40- I don't understand it - I've worked - easily alongside men all my life...
0:00:40 > 0:00:44- ..but when it comes to poetry - they don't want to know you.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49- When I won my first Crown, - I stood up nervously.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53- As I did so, a man behind me - tugged my skirt...
0:00:53 > 0:00:56- ..and said, - "Sit down, I want to see!"
0:00:57 > 0:01:01- I remember Dilys Cadwaladr - warned me at that time...
0:01:02 > 0:01:07- ..I wouldn't be admitted into poetic - circles, as she herself experienced.
0:01:15 > 0:01:21- I discovered that quite early, when - I first started writing poetry.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27- I was aged seven - when I published my first poem.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32- There was a forester living near us, - employed by the Cawdor estate.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37- He told my mother it was impossible - that I could have written my poem.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42- So she took me into the house, - sat me down...
0:01:43 > 0:01:48- ..and told Morgan, this fellow, - to give me a subject.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53- The subject he gave me - was 'The Forester'!
0:01:55 > 0:02:00- Unfortunately, he'd cut down - a tree I used to enjoy climbing.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04- I was really fond of that tree, - and I couldn't forgive him for it.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10- So I sat down and wrote about him - as a murderer.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13- Oh dear, he wasn't happy about that!
0:02:13 > 0:02:19- Mam was pleased I'd written the poem - but I almost got a good hiding...
0:02:20 > 0:02:25- ..because Morgan used to give her - left-over branches for firewood!
0:02:26 > 0:02:31- Elizabeth Watkin Jones's book, - 'Luned Bengoch' (Red-haired Luned)..
0:02:32 > 0:02:36- ..was published when I was a pupil - at Cardigan Grammar School.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39- I'd already had enough jibes!
0:02:40 > 0:02:46- In Cardigan, WH Smith had displayed - eight copies of 'Luned Bengoch'.
0:02:48 > 0:02:54- Naturally, I never heard the end - of it, particularly from the boys.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59- Well, enough was enough, so I - decided to do something about it.
0:02:59 > 0:03:05- In our garden we had many pretty - flowers, wild daffodils and so on.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09- I cut them - - I stole them from Mam, really!
0:03:09 > 0:03:14- I sold them to her friends, and with - the money, I bought the books...
0:03:16 > 0:03:20- ..and to my shame - I burnt all eight copies!
0:03:21 > 0:03:26- I'd never burnt a book before that, - and I hope I never will again.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- I'm still ashamed of it.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34- There was another woman in - the village who had red hair...
0:03:34 > 0:03:36- ..and she took me under her wing.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42- In the village at that time, - the Women's Institute was strong.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47- I think I was about eleven years old - - no taller than I am now!
0:03:48 > 0:03:50- She'd take me to the meetings.
0:03:51 > 0:03:57- Once there was a competition, - and she encouraged me to compete.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02- I had started writing poetry then, - though not so much prose...
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- ..and everyone knew - I was that way inclined.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12- But anyway, she was insistent - that I should compete.
0:04:12 > 0:04:17- I wrote an epic play, - 'The Fall of Jerusalem'.
0:04:18 > 0:04:24- It was in English, of course, as was - everything in the WI at that time.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30- There were scenes of children being - eaten, I don't remember exactly...
0:04:30 > 0:04:35- ..but I'd got all the details - from Josefas for my great epic play!
0:04:37 > 0:04:41- Well, the adjudicator - was SB Jones, Y Cilie...
0:04:41 > 0:04:45- ..and I knew nothing at the time - of the Cilie poetic tradition.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50- SB Jones said there was - a touch of Shakespeare in my work.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56- That was it - - I was going to be a writer.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01- There was no doubt about it. - That was what I was going to do.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- There's still something - about me and my hair!
0:05:06 > 0:05:12- My first minister had the poetic - name of Gwallter Ddu - Black Walter.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- I thought the world of him.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21- I'd walk with him, - holding on to his arm...
0:05:21 > 0:05:26- ..because he'd listen to my poems - - I was about seven years of age.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30- And he told me I ought to publish.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35- It was he who first encouraged me - to start publishing my work.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40- Gwallter Ddu - DD Walters - - was our minister at Bryn Sion.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47- This is where I was brought up, - and I still think of it...
0:05:48 > 0:05:52- ..as a place to retreat to - from time to time.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57- My religion is simple - - it's my own personal religion.
0:05:58 > 0:06:04- I love coming to Bryn Sion - for that intimacy.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- I wanted to be an auctioneer - as a child!
0:06:15 > 0:06:20- But Mam put her foot down, - because it wasn't ladylike.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26- I wanted to be a chemist, which was - worse, because I wrote poetry...
0:06:27 > 0:06:32- ..and Mam said I was absent-minded - and would end up poisoning someone.
0:06:33 > 0:06:39- I wanted to be a preacher. My sister - and I used to preach in the house...
0:06:41 > 0:06:47- ..and to be honest, people would - have more fun when it was my turn.
0:06:47 > 0:06:53- But unfortunately, I just couldn't - pray in front of people...
0:06:53 > 0:06:55- ..and I used to go under the table!
0:06:56 > 0:07:00- But my sister, to her credit, - continues to preach today.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07- I never knew my father - he died - three months before I was born...
0:07:07 > 0:07:11- ..and then we all went - to live with my grandmother.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- That was a special influence on me.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20- She had a gift for storytelling - - the stories she used to tell me!
0:07:21 > 0:07:23- We lived in the Cwm Cuch area.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28- She would tell me the story - of Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed...
0:07:28 > 0:07:34- ..and I imagined his white hounds - weaving their way through the trees.
0:07:35 > 0:07:41- They were marvellous stories which - really did fire my imagination.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47- My grandmother was also a midwife - to the gypsies...
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- ..and that was - a real child's paradise.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54- Here was Banc y Shifftwn...
0:07:55 > 0:07:58- ..which was my paradise as a child.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- There would be two, three - or more caravans...
0:08:02 > 0:08:06- ..and you wouldn't believe the - beautiful treasures inside them.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11- I remember one night, a son had - been born to one of the Lovells...
0:08:12 > 0:08:14- ..who were genuine Romanies.
0:08:15 > 0:08:21- Mamgu was a queen by then, and I was - allowed to go to the bonfire.
0:08:21 > 0:08:27- It was a proper festival - - a fiddler, dancing and singing.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31- All kinds of merriment, and in - the middle there was a fire...
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- ..with a huge ball of clay - at its heart.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39- When it was time to eat, - they split open this ball...
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- ..and inside it there was - a roasted hedgehog.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47- I had a hedgehog at home as a pet...
0:08:48 > 0:08:52- ..which I used to feed every day - with a saucer of milk.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- All they saw of me that night - were my heels...
0:08:57 > 0:09:01- ..and sadly I broke all contact - with the Gypsies forever.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- That was sad - I used to love them.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- Auntie Hannah was another influence.
0:09:11 > 0:09:17- She lived with us after her husband - died - she was a great storyteller.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- She was also well-known - as a fisherwoman.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31- This place is very important - to the village.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36- It's the only street we ever had - - we used to call it Fish Street.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41- Behind me here is where - Auntie Hannah used to live.
0:09:42 > 0:09:47- There used to be two cottages - and one two-floored house here.
0:09:47 > 0:09:53- She came to live here from the farm - because she wanted to go fishing.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57- That's why she moved here, - and that's where she used to fish.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02- The pool has been named after her - - Hannah Rees's Pool.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- Her husband, Peter, was blind.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08- He'd sit here in the doorway - while she was fishing.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13- She'd take the alarm clock with her - and put it on the rock beside her.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17- Otherwise, she'd forget - she had to cook for Peter!
0:10:18 > 0:10:22- Morgan the cat would go fishing - with her, too.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- He was a sensible creature.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30- She'd catch the fish, - loads of them...
0:10:30 > 0:10:36- ..and Morgan would carry the fish - back, without touching them...
0:10:36 > 0:10:40- ..and he'd put them - down by Peter's feet.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- Auntie Hannah never lost anything.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- She had a pocket under her skirt.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55- She'd put the small fish that she - was supposed to throw back, in there
0:10:56 > 0:10:59- Hannah, just as thrifty as everyone - else, would put them in the pocket.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03- She used to say there were - terrible ructions...
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- ..when the bailiff - came to look under her skirt!
0:11:07 > 0:11:11- The river's important to everyone - who's ever lived in Cenarth.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14- You must know the names of the pools
0:11:15 > 0:11:19- When they'd fish from coracles - they'd start at Pwll Defed...
0:11:19 > 0:11:25- ..then over Y Dalar, - and down either side of the island.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30- Each side had a name - - Gwar Beben and Bwlch Bach.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35- Then down to Pwll Siencyn, - and Pwll Drysu.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- I remember Pwll Drysu well - - there was a tree...
0:11:40 > 0:11:45- ..which had fallen across the river - - it was an ideal spot for poaching!
0:11:46 > 0:11:52- One night the Archdruid of Brittany, - a very accomplished poet...
0:11:53 > 0:11:58- ..was staying with us, the night - before some eisteddfod or other.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04- He'd heard about this poaching, and - wanted to know what we got up to.
0:12:04 > 0:12:10- So, we moved out on this fallen tree - and cast our net...
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- ..and that was how we - caught the fish, the salmon.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20- He caught his spectacles on - something and they fell off...
0:12:21 > 0:12:23- ..and he fell into the river!
0:12:23 > 0:12:25- The biggest fish I ever caught!
0:12:26 > 0:12:27- Poaching's a lot of bother.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29- Poaching's a lot of bother. - - That's half the fun!
0:12:30 > 0:12:35- I don't know how many girls - used to go out poaching.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38- Perhaps I used to do things - others wouldn't.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43- But tell me, what made you - go out poaching?
0:12:43 > 0:12:49- Well, if money's scarce, and you - need money for fags or something...
0:12:50 > 0:12:55- ..it's better to go out and catch - a fish than to steal the money.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- You didn't break the law then.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04- After all, you're promised five - loaves and two fish in the Bible!
0:13:09 > 0:13:15- I had the urge to write 'cynghanedd' - even before I could write poetry.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19- They didn't teach it in school, - as they do these days.
0:13:20 > 0:13:26- Mam would pay for me to have lessons - at Newcastle Emlyn, three miles away
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- They were very good lessons, - by Mrs Clement Davies...
0:13:30 > 0:13:32- ..wife of the Baptist minister - at the Graig at the time.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- It was through her that I sat - the Gorsedd examination.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- I sat three exams at one sitting. - They don't do that any more.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45- So I was accepted into the Gorsedd - when I was about 16.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49- That's how I started off.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53- Ever since then, the Eisteddfod's - been in my blood for good.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59- For some reason, I was sent - to boarding school in London.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- I think the reason was, - and I didn't like the reason...
0:14:04 > 0:14:09- ..but I think the family - wanted me to be a teacher.
0:14:11 > 0:14:17- I think they thought boarding school - would sort me out.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20- Well, it didn't work!
0:14:21 > 0:14:26- I had a friend called Joan there, - and we were a like-minded pair.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30- We wore high heels and lipstick...
0:14:31 > 0:14:36- ..and we'd go down the fire escape - in the back, into Fleet Street!
0:14:36 > 0:14:39- That's where I met Dewi Emrys, - at long last!
0:14:40 > 0:14:44- At that time, - you weren't considered a writer...
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- ..unless you were starving - in a garret.
0:14:47 > 0:14:53- So I found a place in Bayswater, - and met Norma from New Zealand.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59- I wrote romantic love stories, - before Mills & Boon existed...
0:15:00 > 0:15:06- ..and we sent them off, but Norma - acted as my agent, my only one ever!
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- I need someone like that, because - I'm no good at asking for money.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16- So she'd collect any money - that came in.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21- And I simply couldn't write these - romances under my own name...
0:15:21 > 0:15:26- ..living in Wales at that time. - I had to hide this from everyone.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30- So she'd send these stories out - under all kinds of pseudonyms.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- I've no idea what she called me. - Certainly not my own name!
0:15:35 > 0:15:39- Anyway, the first two I sent off - were rejected.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44- But the third time - - third time lucky for a Welshman!
0:15:45 > 0:15:48- I succeeded, - and received three guineas.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55- I was at home, and Mr Roy Evans - from Newcastle Emlyn called.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00- He was the Magistrates' Clerk - at Newcastle Emlyn.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- He'd come to ask my mother - whether I could work for him...
0:16:04 > 0:16:08- ..because his partner - had to go to War, apparently.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12- He wanted me to start immediately.
0:16:12 > 0:16:17- I didn't know what to do, - but we both went to the courtroom.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- He ran three courts. Newcastle - Emlyn, Llandysul, and Pencader.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27- While I was at those three courts, - there were large crowds...
0:16:28 > 0:16:32- ..as many as a hundred, sometimes, - especially in Pencader...
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- ..and I believe that was their - answer to the theatre, at the time.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42- Because you'd have the same crowd - of regulars every time.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- I knew nothing of the law...
0:16:46 > 0:16:50- ..so I had to read Stone's Justices' - Manual in bed every night.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56- So while while I was in that job, - I had to read up every night...
0:16:56 > 0:16:59- ..on the next morning's cases.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03- I remember one that had a terrible - effect on me, in Pencader.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08- In court was a man who had broken - into the Post Office in Pencader.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13- He had no fixed address.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18- He was Irish, - and I'm usually very fond of them.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23- But there was nothing we could do - but send him to jail.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25- I cried all night.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31- When I came back to Wales, - Dewi Emrys had come back, too...
0:17:31 > 0:17:33- ..and he lived in Talgarreg.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39- He'd founded Sefydliad y Fforddolion - and I was asked to join.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43- We had a dinner one night - in Newquay.
0:17:43 > 0:17:50- The guest speaker was John Griffiths - of the BBC in Swansea.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54- I didn't know who he was, because - I'd been out of Wales for so long.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59- In fact, he was the strangest man - I'd ever seen, at the time.
0:17:59 > 0:18:06- He kept saying, "You've no chance. - I already have enough scripts".
0:18:07 > 0:18:09- I couldn't understand.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14- Apparently, somebody had told him - I was a writer, home from England.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19- I think he was worried that I - was going to ask him for work.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22- But that hadn't crossed my mind.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26- Well, I lost my temper, eventually.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31- "Look here," I said, "I don't know - who you are, but whoever you are...
0:18:31 > 0:18:35- ..don't imagine for one moment - that I'd write a script for you."
0:18:35 > 0:18:39- And that was that. - I kept my distance from the man.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- And a very handsome man he was too, - but I kept my distance.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48- But in the end, - two days after I'd gone home...
0:18:49 > 0:18:51- ..after falling out with him...
0:18:52 > 0:18:56- ..I received a letter - asking me to write him a script.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01- From then on, - we became good friends.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- He was the kindest-hearted man - I ever met.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08- I wrote Welsh language features - for John.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13- I'd always drag Dewi Emrys - into them wherever possible.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- I knew he needed the money.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20- Of course, one of the highlights - of the year for us...
0:19:21 > 0:19:24- ..would be the pilgrimage - with Dewi Emrys to Pwll Deri.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- It was wonderful.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31- We'd sit with him on the stone - where he wrote 'Pwll Deri'.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35- From Pwll Deri, - we'd go on to Pwll Gwaelod.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38- There was nothing there - but a quiet little pub.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44- We'd all go there, and about 2 in - the morning when we'd had a few...
0:19:45 > 0:19:49- ..Dewi would have a glass - of Creme de Menthe in his hand...
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- ..and one night - he recited 'Pwll Deri'.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57- I never heard anything like it. - It was wonderful.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02- This is the memorial - to Dewi Emrys at Pwll Deri.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06- I'm sure I can hear his laughter - floating on the wind.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09- They've given him two years extra.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12- He was born in '81, not in '79.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19- I was asked to join the people - who wrote 'Teulu Ty Coch'.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24- Later on came 'Teulu'r Mans', - with John Griffiths, again.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- It was great fun, believe me.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33- I became very fond of the character - Joe Long - Manny Price, you see.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37- Joe Long was named after a village - character called Sam Long.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43- We had a lot of fun with Sam Long. - He looked a bit like Manny!
0:20:44 > 0:20:48- Dilys played Annie May.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52- But the boys were adamant. They had - a name for the minister's wife.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57- I was surprised when they said it - was Eluned. She was named after me!
0:20:57 > 0:21:02- My head swelled up! - At last, I'd been noticed!
0:21:02 > 0:21:05- I was the respectable - minister's wife!
0:21:05 > 0:21:07- But this respect didn't last...
0:21:07 > 0:21:12- ..because they decided that she - was to be a very eccentric creature.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15- She smoked, and swore.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20- She did everything - that a minister's wife shouldn't do!
0:21:28 > 0:21:32- Winning the second Crown wasn't - as thrilling as the first time.
0:21:33 > 0:21:39- It was well-received eventually. - It's been translated by now...
0:21:41 > 0:21:49- ..to English, French, Spanish, - Italian, Sinhalese, and Tamil.
0:21:49 > 0:21:55- And last week, - a German professor wrote to me...
0:21:55 > 0:22:00- ..asking for another copy of the - poem for somebody else to translate.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05- So some good has come out of it!
0:22:07 > 0:22:09- But I still write, and write poetry.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13- Usually when I'm seriously - writing poetry...
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- ..there'll be somebody ill at home - and I'll be up with them all night.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- But on the whole, - life has been good to me.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25- These days, though I still go - to Eisteddfodau, of course...
0:22:26 > 0:22:29- ..and meet the odd - interesting character...
0:22:30 > 0:22:34- ..I'm not sure if it's as much fun - generally as it used to be.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38- People seem to be a lot more - respectable than before.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42- People don't have the same harmless - fun that we used to have.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48- Cynan was one of the greatest - Eisteddfod characters for me.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52- We got on like a house on fire. - We quarrelled, and soon made up.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58- But something funny happened once.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- I remember one afternoon we were - in HTV making a programme...
0:23:03 > 0:23:07- ..and Cynan happened to be there - too, making another programme.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11- He saw me, and asked me - to sit at his table for lunch.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- Of course, I sat by him nicely.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19- He had a lighter, and it wasn't - working. It was leaking gas.
0:23:20 > 0:23:26- He said, "Listen to this", - and he held the lighter to my ear.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- I was more than happy - to oblige Cynan.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34- But at that moment, his finger must - have slipped, or something...
0:23:35 > 0:23:39- ..and the next thing we knew, - my hair was in flames!
0:23:40 > 0:23:44- If it wasn't for the teacher - sitting with us...
0:23:44 > 0:23:48- ..I'm sure that would have been - the end of Eluned Bengoch!
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- S4C subtitles by- TROSOL Cyf.