Love, loss and the Ceredigion landscape: Man's life experience through verse
This week sees the publication of Mostly Welsh, a collection of poems by Chris Armstrong. The
collection blends the historic with mythological and personal themes and deals
with love, loss and his relationship with
The process of writing the collection began over 15 years ago:
“After losing my wife, nearly all of the poems I wrote were focussed on her and losing her – things I wished I had expressed while she was still alive, or at least said better, said more or more often. Poetry – both reading and writing – developed into some sort of catharsis or release for me. It wasn’t present at the time she died, as coping with the remains of family life and work took all my energy and time. Now it’s an ever-present pleasure, and I don’t think a single day goes past without some thought of my wife,” said Chris Armstrong.
Chris Armstrong has lived in
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The collection has received praise from Ffrangcon Lewis:
“At their best, these poems have a directness, honesty and crispness of diction which enables the poet to communicate the most raw of experiences with a degree of sureness, restraint and power.”
Mostly Welsh is a collection of poetic forms rooted in the Anglo-Welsh tradition that explores the poet’s life and mind after a loss, and follows his life journey.
“In essence, this collection is a man’s life experience finding expression through verse.”