About the translator: Peter Finch is a poet and short story writer living in Cardiff, Wales. He works in both traditional and experimental forms and is a performer on the reading circuit. In the sixties and seventies he edited the ground-breaking literary magazine, second aeon, exhibited visual poetry internationally and toured with sound poet Bob Cobbing. In the eighties he embraced performance poetry, was a founder member of Cardiff’s Cabaret 246 and of the trio Horse’s Mouth. This was work with props owing as much to theatre as to literature. But Peter Finch could never actually leave the book. While others recited their work by rotes he chose (and still chooses) to work from the written text. Today he is much in demand as a reader as well as a lecturer at festivals and venues up and down the country. Finch is author of a number of works on poetry and book publishing, compiles the poetry section of Macmillan’s annual Writer’s Handbook and the self-publishing section for A&C Black’s Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. He is a regular book reviewer and writes on the business of poetry. His poetry is widely published in magazines and anthologies. His most recent books of poetry are the very well received Food (Seren) and the innovative post-modern Antibodies (Stride). In addition to the readings Finch also delivers a number of entertaining presentations on the poetry publishing scene, on the history of sound poetry, on the writing of short fiction and on the history of the small press. He works with schools and has led young people’s writing squads in co-operation with local authorities.
Finch is currently working on historical, topographical and fictional material concerned with Cardiff. His Real Cardiff which appeared from Seren in 2002 to great acclaim. It sold so well that it was reprinted within three weeks. Sections of the book along with Jan Morris's warm commendation appear on his website at www.peterfinch.co.uk. His Great Cardiff Poem project involving hundreds of writers across the city is currently being developed by Cardiff 2005, the City's centenary. He is currently work on Real Cardiff Two which is due for publication in the autumn of 2004. With Grahame Davies he is editing The Big Book of Cardiff, an anthology, for Seren Books 2005.
Mabinogion Translations (1)
He made for the court in the court he could
aye said Pwll to the court the court and they spent
maiden wilt the court whatever boon court
the court hosts and dominions
what is here? a badger a court
the men of the court to feel heaviness
awoke born lady not the court the chamber
at the door lo a horse court here the wld
court catch you fix-up bile racially
the court crt cart will repay thee raised fit
daughter gwyn gohoyw ap gloyw wally lydan
ap casnar court wledig seisyllwch of the high branch rit
mst grac graze nn mor morrow th tend tenderness
the diz ss till there affection affection retinue
rrr llll landMabinogion Translations (2)
Bendigeidfran overlooked the sea
from Ireland
they could see the shipsWhen they saw
the ships
near at hand
certainly they had
not seen themThe ships were
blessed by God
and prospered
with brocadeThis was certain
God was near
was he not?The brocade and the shields
were pointing upwards for peaceThese are ships
said Manawydan
but we cannot see
themIt was an early Zen problem
Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen At Speed
South heart like a birchtop woodsong
light and little proud ah
Lleucu heart broken
Merioneth
Machynlleth
MawddwyDeheubarth buggered
the barbs of longing the pain
You’ve been writing again, she said,
no it’s just blisters on my fingertips,
and great caves in
the space inside me. Heart
thinks it’s the soul. Full of birds.Life has five plots:
rise to fame, fall from grace,
gain love, lose it
and death.