Book - And I Hear Dragons - Paperback

ISBN: 9781915444578 (1915444578)

Publication Date: 30 May 2024

Publisher: Firefly Press Ltd

Edited by Hanan Issa

Format: Paperback, 199x130 mm, 72 pages

Language: English

Groundbreaking anthology edited by 2022-2025 National Poet of Wales, Hanan Issa. A collection of diverse voices showcasing a range of experiences across Wales, focusing on identity, and dragons!

A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Books Council of Wales: -

And I Hear Dragons is a collection of poems edited by Hanan Issa, National Poet of Wales, where the overarching themes of each poem involves dragons – a fitting theme, considering how iconic the Welsh Dragon is in Wales. And her introductory words summarize the aim and atmosphere of the volume to perfection: “Wales is a country of welcoming that is home to every sort of dragon – I hope within these pages you can find a dragon that roars with the same flame as your own special fire.”

The poems, firstly, were so unique. We have some humorous ones (‘My Mum, the LEGEND’ by Rhiannon Oliver gave me quite a chuckle) and some rather heartfelt ones (‘Firefly’ by Eric Ngalle Charles was a very powerful piece), so there’s certainly something for everyone in this book. Wales is a country of such diversity and culture, and this book is a celebration of what makes us all individuals; and while we all have a dragon inside us, our differences are what make us stand out. It was a joy being able to get an insight into other cultures and compare them to Welsh culture, for example in ‘Draig Lung’ by Angela Hui she talks about “Two ancient cultures. Wales and China. The Valleys and Hong Kong”, and even learning some new words and phrases (like “Abuji” meaning “grandfather” according to Hafsa Ajadi’s ‘Firefighting is in your Blood’). I think it’s always an important aspect to come away from reading a book having learned something.

The illustrations, by Eric Heyman, that were peppered throughout were charming. There were a couple of full-page illustrations, like at the end of Emma Smith-Barton’s ‘The Dragon in my Pocket’, but a lot of the images were smaller, and I feel that they added a little something extra to the poems.

Hanan Issa mentions in the foreword that she wants to share the magic of poetry with “a new audience of young people who love to read”, and while that aim may have been achieved, this book is certainly one that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Rhys Jenkins