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Presenting Marcelle Newbold – Marcelle’s writing explores place and inheritance.
Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize nominated, Bridport Prize shortlisted, her poems have been published in online and print magazines including Ink Sweat & Tears, Iamb poet, and Fly on the Wall Press. Her writing has featured in recent print anthologies by Black Bough Poetry, Maytree Press, Wild Pressed Books, Icefloe Press, and Indigo Dreams.
She is managing editor of Nightingale & Sparrow literary press, a regular guest editor, and was the coordinator for Gloucester Poetry Festival 2021.
Marcelle lives in Cardiff, Wales where she trained as an architect. Socials @marcellenewbold.
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With Siôn Tomos Owen, Mike Jenkins, Pete Akinwunmi, Nick McGaughey, Peter Thabit Jones, Mary Kaye, Ben Wildsmith, Leigh Manley & Rob Cullen.

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More Bridges Less Walls.

VoicesontheBridge with Siôn Tomos Owen, Mike Jenkins, Marcelle Newbold, Pete Akinwunmi, Nick McGaughey, Peter Thabit Jones, Mary Kaye, Ben Wildsmith, Leigh Manley & Rob Cullen.

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VoicesontheBridge is hoosted by Clwb Y Bont

VoicesontheBridge is organised by Rob Cullen

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More Bridges Less Walls.

@RCT @PontyBid @PoetryWales @LiteratureWales @PontypriddTownCouncil

A night of spoken word and music with poets and musicians from across Wales and beyond at Pontypridd.

With Mike Jenkins, Peter Thabbit Jones, Marcelle Newbold, Pete Akinwunmi, Sion Tomos Owen, Nick McGaughey, Mary Kaye, Leigh Manley, Ben Wildsmith & Rob Cullen will be performing – and one other to confirm. … VoicesontheBridge is hosted by @ClwbyBont

VoicesontheBridge is organised by Rob Cullen

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More Bridges … Less Walls.

Thursday 22nd June 2023 starts 7pm

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Clwb Y Bont, 85A Taff Street, Pontypridd,

Rhondda Cynon Taf, CF37 4SL

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Leigh Anthony Manley is a new phase poet, originally from the Llynfi Valley, but now based in Cardiff. Leigh’s writing for adults explores his working-class identity and the challenges of coming to terms with chronic illness. His work has featured in Poetry Wales, The Seventh Quarry, Nawr Magazine as well as several anthologies. In 2022, he was short-listed for the Disability Arts Cymru’s Creative Word Award, while in 2023 he was successful in his application for Literature Wales’ writer’s development programme, ‘Representing Wales’, which has Leigh working to develop poems for a younger, but equally curious audience.

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Susie Wild, Pete Akinwunmi “Pete Ak”, Ben Wildsmith, Nick McGaughey, Stephen Payne & Rob Cullen will be reading their work.

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VoicesontheBridge is a free event hosted by Helen Morgan Clwb Y Bont

VoicesontheBridge is organised by Rob Cullen.

All are welcome.

Bridges not walls.

Thursday 22nd June 2023 starts 7pm

Clwb Y Bont, 85A Taff Street, Pontypridd,

Rhondda Cynon Taf, CF37 4SL

Stephen Payne was born in Merthyr Tydfil and lives in Penarth, South Glamorgan. His first full collection, Pattern Beyond Chance, was published in 2015 by HappenStance Press and shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year. The Windmill Proof (September 2021) and The Wax Argument and other Thought Experiments (February 2022) were published by the same press.

Susie Wild, Pete Akinwunmi “Pete Ak”, Ben Wildsmith, Nick McGaughey, Leigh Manley & Rob Cullen will be reading their work.

VoicesontheBridge is a free event hosted by Helen Morgan @Clwbybont.

VoicesontheBridge is organised by Rob Cullen.

All are welcome.

Bridges not walls.

Stephen Payne was born in Merthyr Tydfil and lives in Penarth, South Glamorgan. His first full collection, Pattern Beyond Chance, was published in 2015 by HappenStance Press and shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year. The Windmill Proof (September 2021) and The Wax Argument and other Thought Experiments (February 2022) were published by the same press.

Thursday 22nd June 2023 starts 7pm

Clwb Y Bont, 85A Taff Street, Pontypridd,

Rhondda Cynon Taf, CF37 4SL

Pete Akinwunmi will be performing his work.

Pete Ak’ is a spoken word performer and vocalist/songwriter with the S.Wales based band TaffyWasAThief. His spoken word pieces are strong on narrative, rhyme and humour, enjoying word play and ingenious metaphors. His pieces reflect his admittedly confusing childhood, growing up in a Barnardo’s children’s home as the only black child in a small Welsh valley town in the 1960’s. His performances strongly feature emotional and energetic renditions which add colour and verve to his pieces. He has appeared at Llandeilo and Hay (fringe) ‘ Where the Light Comes In’ literary festivals and also appeared on BBC Wales’ feature programme Jonathan Davies’ Six Nations Quiz performing his poem ‘A Nation Hold its Breathe Again’ a signature piece which integrates patriotism with rugby lore and passion. He has yet to publish independently but has had numerous pieces featured in various publications both online and in print.

Susie Wild, Nick McGaughey, Ben Wildsmith, Stephen Payne, Leigh Manley & Rob Cullen will be reading their work.

VoicesontheBridge is organised by Rob Cullen.

This a free event hosted by Clwb Y Bont.

Pontypridd “Old Bridge” ….

Clwb Y Bont 85a Taff Street

Pontypridd, Wales CF37 4SL

The lineup of poets reading will be Stephen Payne, Nick McGaughey, Susie Wild, Ben Wildsmith, Leigh Manley, Pete Akinwunmi & Rob Cullen.

Starts at 7.15pm.

Voices on the Bridge is a free event hosted by @Clwbybont.

VoicesontheBridge is organised by Rob Cullen.

In Memoriam, July 19, 1914

By Anna Akhmatova

Translated by Stephen Edgar

We aged a hundred years and this descended

In just one hour, as at a stroke.

The summer had been brief and now was ended;

The body of the ploughed plains lay in smoke.

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The hushed road burst in colors then, a soaring

Lament rose, ringing silver like a bell.

And so I covered up my face, imploring

God to destroy me before battle fell.

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And from my memory the shadows vanished

Of songs and passions—burdens I’d not need.

The Almighty bade it be—with all else banished—

A book of portents terrible to read.