{"id":58922,"date":"2021-12-06T12:41:34","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T12:41:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=58922"},"modified":"2021-12-06T13:04:30","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T13:04:30","slug":"im-working-more-now-than-i-have-in-years-a-poet-on-life-after-lockdown-cardiff-poetry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/2021\/12\/06\/im-working-more-now-than-i-have-in-years-a-poet-on-life-after-lockdown-cardiff-poetry\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019m working more now than I have in years\u2019 &#8211; A South Welsh poet on life after lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1024x512.jpg\" alt=\"Local poet Johnny Giles\" class=\"wp-image-58933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-770x385.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-2048x1024.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1366x683.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1920x960.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-585x293.jpg 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1170x585.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1500x750.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-293x147.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1400x700.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1024x512.jpg\" alt=\"Local poet Johnny Giles\" class=\"wp-image-58933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-770x385.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-2048x1024.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1366x683.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1920x960.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-585x293.jpg 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1170x585.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1500x750.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-293x147.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/final-portrait-of-johnny1-1400x700.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Johnny Giles is a stalwart of the Cardiff poetry scene<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"zeen-lazy-load-base zeen-lazy-load\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"about:blank\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/1155489838&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true\"><\/iframe><noscript><iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/1155489838&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><div style=\"font-size: 10px;color: #cccccc;overflow: hidden;font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100\"><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/cardiffjomec\" title=\"CardiffJomec\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc;text-decoration: none\" rel=\"noopener\">CardiffJomec<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/cardiffjomec\/im-working-more-now-than-i-have-in-years-a-poet-on-life-after-lockdown\" title=\"\u2018I\u2019m working more now than I have in years\u2019 \u2013 A poet on life after lockdown\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc;text-decoration: none\" rel=\"noopener\">\u2018I\u2019m working more now than I have in years\u2019 \u2013 A poet on life after lockdown<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Local poet Johnny Giles on how he got through mental health problems and writer\u2019s block to resume his creative practice after lockdown&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Johnny Giles, 29, from Cardiff, is a fixture of South Welsh <a href=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?s=poetry\">poetry<\/a> slams and competitions, has been published multiple times, had a<a href=\"http:\/\/www.blackheathbooks.org.uk\/51.html\"> book<\/a> out from a small local press, and typically writes and performs as much as he can. Then Covid-19 happened, upending his creative process and his social life in one fell swoop &#8211; as well as plunging him into depression.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"A page from Johnny Giles' notebook\" class=\"wp-image-58932\" width=\"277\" height=\"277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-770x770.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-1080x1080.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-293x293.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-390x390.jpg 390w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-585x585.jpg 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-900x900.jpg 900w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"A page from Johnny Giles' notebook\" class=\"wp-image-58932\" width=\"277\" height=\"277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-770x770.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-1080x1080.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-293x293.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-390x390.jpg 390w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-585x585.jpg 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2-900x900.jpg 900w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Johnnys-notebook-2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>A page from Johnny Giles&#8217; notebook<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tall at 6 ft 4in, yet seemingly diffident and faltering at times, Johnny becomes expansive and self-assured when talking about his writing. He writes about \u201ceverything and anything\u201d including mental health, war, politics and episodes from his personal life.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His actual writing &#8211; the physical scribble &#8211; is something to behold; his notebooks are works of art in their own right. Columns of poems, songs, names and gnomic fragments of tiny text take up almost every part of the dog-eared pages. Densely allusive, occasionally silly yet intensely serious, his poems sometimes seem to channel equal parts Dylan Thomas and John Cooper Clarke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">  A portrait of the artist as a young man  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Between puffs on his cigarette, Johnny says of his writing, \u201cIt\u2019s always been a crutch for me.\u201d Diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Aspergers as a teenager, he describes himself as introverted and admits, \u201cI can&nbsp; be quite an obsessive person.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignfull is-style-solid-color\"><blockquote><p> I can be quite an obsessive person <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He says that writing, performing and going to poetry events around Cardiff and South Wales has provided him with a \u201cGood outlet to push myself- to know that anxiety doesn\u2019t have to hold me back\u201d &#8211; as well as broadening his social circle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Johnny says that the coronavirus pandemic \u201cdidn\u2019t seem quite real\u201d at first, it had a massive effect on his mental health once the full impact of events set in. \u201cI\u2019m quite used to having my own company, so in theory, I thought it would be easy,\u201d Johnny says. But lockdown had the opposite effect, driving him to a point he describes as \u201clonelier than I\u2019d ever been.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As well as dealing with his own mental health, Johnny had concerns for his family. Living with his mother &#8211; diagnosed during lockdown with a chronic lung condition and diabetes &#8211; he was worried that he would present a risk just by being there. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to be the guy who killed off their own mother!\u201d he says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Poet Johnny Giles Reading in Cardiff\" class=\"wp-image-59328\" width=\"254\" height=\"254\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-770x770.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1080x1080.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1800x1800.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-293x293.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-390x390.jpg 390w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-585x585.jpg 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-900x900.jpg 900w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1400x1400.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 254px) 100vw, 254px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Poet Johnny Giles Reading in Cardiff\" class=\"wp-image-59328\" width=\"254\" height=\"254\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-770x770.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1080x1080.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1800x1800.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-293x293.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-390x390.jpg 390w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-585x585.jpg 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-900x900.jpg 900w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Culture_DavidRogers_Johnnygiles3-4-1400x1400.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 254px) 100vw, 254px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Johnny has regularly performed In Cardiff<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially, Johnny went through an intense period of writer\u2019s block: \u201cFor a while, it stifled my creative process. The obvious thing would be to have written about it [coronavirus restrictions], but I didn\u2019t want to be the ten-thousandth person writing about something which is everywhere.\u201d Eventually, he began recording his thoughts in his kitchen, stream-of-consciousness style; he credits this with making his writing more \u201cmeditative,\u201d getting him back into his creative practice.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the lockdown, Johnny says \u201cIt made me appreciate things more.\u201d He plans to publish a book based on song lyrics called <em>Word Music, <\/em>with a tentative release date in the new year. He\u2019s back to performing now; after feeling \u201ca bit rusty&#8221; at first, he recently got to the finals of the annual Swansea Poetry Slam. It\u2019s a far cry from lockdown, when performance opportunities were scant: \u201cBefore restrictions were lifted, I even borrowed a microphone from a busker just so I could perform,\u201d he says. \u201cNow, I\u2019m working more than I have in years.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"color:#8121dc\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Johnny Giles&#8217; favourite South Welsh poets now:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-black-color\">Mab Jones<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cShe has so much range &#8211; she can do serious and humorous,&nbsp; page-based poetry and performance poetry equally well.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/mabjones.com\/\">https:\/\/mabjones.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Des Manny<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHis political work is second to none on the Welsh scene at the moment. He\u2019s got a book out:<em> <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/waterloopress.co.uk\/books\/sod-em-and-tomorrow-2020\/\"><em>Sod\u2019em and Tomorrow<\/em><\/a>, on waterloo press.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zaru Johnson<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHis stuff can be quite surreal &#8211; Inspired by the beats and hip hop in equal measure. Winner of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iwa.wales\/agenda\/2010\/10\/the-bare-essential-john-tripp\/\">John Tripp<\/a> award a few years back.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/about.me\/zarujonson\">https:\/\/about.me\/zarujonson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gareth Twamley<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Part of the South Wales super-group called <em>The Pride<\/em>. Works as well with music as it does with spoken word.\u201d Watch an interview <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yBWCJttSxNo&amp;ab_channel=JustAnotherPoet\">here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Listen to the audio version of this article to hear Johnny perform readings of two of his poems.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Local poet Johnny Giles on how he got through mental health problems and writer\u2019s block to resume his creative practice after lockdown\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":767,"featured_media":58933,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[203,7201,206,441,1303],"coauthors":[7366],"class_list":["post-58922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","tag-cardiff","tag-covid-19","tag-mental-health","tag-poetry","tag-spoken-word-poetry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - 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