Parch

The poems in Menna Elfyn's new collection offer a voice to those whose liberty or dignity have been undermined, seeking religious, linguistic and cultural tolerance for all, and not shying away from the effects of (in)humanity on our environment, histories and lives. In Welsh, 'parch' (the 'ch' is guttural) simply means respect. But it is also the common word for a chapel minister (a 'reverend'). Menna Elfyn's collection explores the many ways in which respect can be expressed, as well as how our world can so often feel parched of simple kindnesses. Glimpses of parch in action reveal the best of who we are. Humour found in difficult times, solace in shared grief or steadfast defiance in the face of oppression. Following many years of campaigning, Menna Elfyn is moving towards her own sense of resolution as the Welsh language is now accepted and respected as an official language in Wales. For the first time in a Bloodaxe collection, she has translated or written many of the original poems in English and describes herself as a 'proud bilingual'. Menna Elfyn shares Herta Müller's belief that 'holding one's own language up to the eyes of another leads to a solid relationship, a relaxed kind of love'. This distils the essence of Parch: respect as refuge; the triumph of compassion over conflict.