Poems from the Soul

An exploration of Wales’s deep connections to music through one specific style: the hymn. Even as many in the modern world draw away from organized 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.

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