Poems from the Soul

Author: M.Wynn Thomas

Wales | Sacred & religious music | Poetry anthologies (various poets)

Published on 29^th February 2024 by University of Wales Press (Calon) in the United Kingdom.

Hardback | 112 pages, No
137mm x 206mm x 18mm | 226g

Even as many in the modern world draw away from organised religion, the great hymns of our time persist: we turn to them at weddings and funerals, at rugby matches and in pubs.

Bringing together twelve of Wales’s best-loved hymns, from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, Poems from the Soul reveals the heart and soul of a people’s poetry. These are the poems of ordinary folk – blacksmiths, farmers and preachers – and they played a vital role in the creation of the Welsh people.

Ranging from the visionary intensity of Ann Griffiths to the striking biblical imagery of Wales’s unofficial national anthem, ‘Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer’, in every hymn a single, singular voice sings out, loud and strong with fear, hope, ecstasy or anxiety.

With original illustrations by Ruth Jên Evans throughout, this collection offers insights into the making of a modern nation and demonstrates the transformative power of voices raised in song.