The collection of bilingual poems celebrating Zigzag through Wales turned out to be quite popular.
In light of this success, the independent publishing house has launched another anthology, this time in both English and Welsh, focusing on rivers across the nation.
Afonydd (Rivers) honors Welsh waterways, encompassing everything from grand rivers to smaller, picturesque, and even polluted ones. It features some of the most renowned rivers in the country, like the Severn, alongside lesser-known ones like the Ada in North Wales.
Cherry Potts, the director of Arachne Press, mentioned that during a tour with Wales A470: Poetry for the Road, the enthusiasm and humor generated by the book prompted her to explore another project.
“Rivers quickly emerged as the next theme,” Potts remarked. “We aimed for specific poems about certain rivers rather than abstract descriptions, and some of them do tackle the challenges facing these waterways.”
“I think that’s what makes both books strong. They reflect personal responses to particular places. You can’t use Afonydd the same way as navigating the A470, but I’ve visited all these rivers,” she added.
Out of around 400 submitted poems, 50 were chosen—18 in Welsh and 32 in English. Poems submitted in only one language were translated into the other, presenting them side by side to highlight the original language.
Editor and translator Ness Owen commented, “The themes are as varied as the rivers themselves, ranging from deeply personal to political, humorous, and steeped in folklore.”
Poet and lavender farmer Ray Howells shared her piece about the Penard Pills flowing into three Cliffs Bays in South Wales. She typically writes in English first and then translates into Welsh, saying, “It was a great challenge to step out of my comfort zone and use Welsh like this.”
Howells found some phrases tricky to translate. “For example, my phrase, ‘Some Nights,’ translates to ‘Ambell Noson,’ but ‘Ambell’ conveys ‘occasionally,’ which isn’t quite the same.”
She expressed that the rivers of Wales are a fantastic way to narrate the country’s story. “Wales is a land of water—rivers, streams, rain, and mythical lakes. Just as roads connect regions, our rivers symbolize what Wales is about: its connections, people, politics, resource use, and the legends formed through history.”
Potts pointed out that publishing in both English and Welsh within the same volume is rather innovative, considering how distinct Wales feels from the wider publishing world.
The book was released on May 29th and is available for pre-order through Arachne Press. It will be fully available for trade next week, allowing bookstores to take orders and pre-orders.
