My first memory was Llandrindod
Between Machynlleth and Llanidloes
Where the best place names
Have no vowels
Between 4Ls, 2Ds and 5Ys
The pubs had no beer on Sundays
Because we were dry, except of humour
And we were in the chapel all day anyway
From Llywelyn ap Gruffydd to Catherine Zeta Jones
St David to Burton and Terfel
Jones and Williams and Davies alike
We could sing and act and play rugby
Like no-one before or since
All the coal came from us
And a little gold
Most of it around Peggy’s neck now
There was so little
We had dragons before the Chinese
Pretty daffodils in top hats
Where could romance start
If not in Betws-y-Coed, Bryn Mawr and Aberystwyth?
How Green Was My Valley
You may well ask
Franschhoek, South Africa, February 2014
