“Beth bynnag ydy’r hanes ieithyddol personol, neu rhesymau personol dros beidio medru siarad y Gymraeg rŵan, y Gymraeg ydy hanfod y sir. Felly, yr iaith, mae rhai ohonom yn gallu siarad, yn gwbl berthnasol i bawb, ac yn perthyn i bawb. Ac mae hynna’n neges dy ni isio cael allan uchel ac y glir, ac un o ffyrdd gorau i wneud hynny, ydy trwy gynnal gŵyl fawr, yng nghanol y dre!”
When will the rain stop?
A rainbow reminder of the
Everlasting Covenant,
Sludge and devastation
Permeate through the
Settlement
The power and surge of
A river bursting its
Banks
Overflowing into areas
Where its presence once
Precluded now intrudes
And becomes the
unwelcome visitor
Nature, the world around us,
Life soaring through its flow
Why do we feel as though
We can control such forces
Impossible!
Their presence already here
Before our short appearance
Such beauty and wonder
Yet dangerous potential
We need to fit in with the
World we inhabit, not expect
The natural environment
To accommodate us
Only when this happens
Will we live in harmony
Devoid of threat
—
Chameleon
A poem written following the floods in the Rhondda and Taff during storm Dennis 2020.
Kath Jones is a member of the RCT Creative Writers Group.
Sleek reptilian river,
Valley’s arterial life giver
Running it’s course,
Brecon source
Roaring, dashing,
Boulder bashing
Wearing, grinding,
Twisting, winding
Bubbling, boiling,
Flooding, spoiling
Small; vast,
Turbulent past
Un-compliant; pandering,
Aimlessly meandering
Slowly moving,
Pebble smoothing
Leads; follows,
Beak dipping swooping swallows
Natural, fantastic,
Polluted with plastic
Mossy bank pillow,
Weeping willow
Wild, freed,
Japanese knotweed
Pools brimming
Summer swimming
Flies and midges,
Stone bridges
Shrub and tree,
Green arching canopy
Rocks and weirs,
Boating piers
Gushing, rushing,
Tree root brushing
Triumphantly raising its voice
To say
I am the Taff,
Here to stay.
—
River of Words
Les Allen is a member of the RCT Creative Writers Group.
“We chose our house because of its proximity to the water. From the bedroom window if I lean forward just enough, I can see the river Taff. It is the first thing I see when I let the day into our home in the morning and it is the last thing I say goodnight to.
Its constant flow has been a calming and reassuring presence in the past year, a reminder that things pass. I now know there is a whole world that lives on the river, some of it is loud and visible, some of it is hidden under the surface and emerges only for the careful observer. But whether I am the careful observer or the distracted passer-by, I always know the river is there.”
“The beautiful Spring of 2020 coincided almost exactly with the first Covid lockdown. We were allowed out for exercise and I decided to take advantage of the newly acquired fresh air and the Spring sunshine. For the first few weeks my walk took me over Blackweir Bridge in Pontcanna Fields then it was closed and I had to change my routine. This also caused me to take a different look at life and, although I had always enjoyed music, I had never considered writing songs before. But I started composing them in my head and now have enough for two CDs.”
have you heard the Tales ?
About the prince of Wales ?
He opened Hopkinstown boys club,
Which I run as a martial art hub
It’s run by me and my son
We call it the dungeon
Teaching Styles from Krav Maga ,
Which has become very popular
To kung fu fighting hidden tricks
Or Filipino fighting with sticks
Or unwind with relaxing tai chi
List goes on what’s taught by me
The huge window at the top
Is becoming a attraction spot
People stop and wave Hi
As they jog or walk by
Or if driving past
They give the horn a blast
The taff flows but has no end
Enjoy this attraction spot my friend
“Since early days I would watch the Taff passing by. Imagining every ripple over a stone was a fish. The reality was, as we waded from one side to the other felt slimy, we didn’t care or didn’t realise about rats disease. We put ropes from trees over the river until one day the rope broke, I couldn’t sit down for week. We went to school by bus, always travelling by the Taff. Now maybe if I was still watching. I might see a fish. Would like to think so.”
“No Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn type ‘Mississippi’ was our river. No majestic paddle steamers wended their way there. You may spy on the odd occasion mucky kids, like yours truly, in an old long tin bath. We wielded our makeshift oars very grateful for the assistance of the current. Travel upstream was too much of an ‘ask’, we preferred the land method of heading up river, carrying our craft upside down overhead, like a band of marauding Vikings for another voyage.”
Image: the river Rhondda at Gelli. Reproduced by kind permission of Rhondda Cynon Taf Libraries.
“Cwm Câr, a small tributary valley of Tâf Fechan just south of Pont Dolygaer, is a place I return to frequently. Once I followed the stream, Nant Câr Fach, from Pontsticill reservoir to it’s junction with the Taff Trail – an exciting and difficult route but not recommended!
There is an easy forest track north of the stream (Taff Trail) with great views of Ponsticill reservoir and surrounding hills and Cwm Callan opposite. This track has a weird section of tarmac before a bridge which crosses the stream. Many people pass here and miss the highlight of the valley.
Three streams tumble down off Tormwnt (Rhyd Ddu,Trawsnant and Câr Fach) to form a magnificent group of falls hidden from walkers and bikers. Sometimes the blandest of hills such as Tormwnt have the greatest treasures.”
Martin led a walking tour of the Taff’s sources with the Living Taff a while ago. He has an incredible knowledge of the area; having spent a lot of time looking after the paths so many use to reach Pen y Fan.
“The Taf Fawr rises just behind the Storey Arms, Cardiff Council’s outdoor education centre, on the slopes of Corn Du and Pen y Fan. Since 1971, we have welcomed pupils from Cardiff schools who visit for the day or stay a few nights to learn about the Great Outdoors!
The link between the wild, open beginnings of a river that ends in the heart of the city is one that we celebrate with our visitors. Two completely different worlds – with so many stories to be told along its length – but less than 40 miles apart.”
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