Diamonds & Dragons
I was watching a film about a dragon once.
It occurred to me, what a strange concept the dragon is – a fire breathing beast, with this distinguishing factor alone marking it apart from all known living creatures. Funny thing was though, just as I was thinking this, I happened to be smoking a cigarette, so then it struck me that perhaps we’re not that unlike dragons after all. Especially as we too are hulking great red things with tails, scales and sharp teeth.
So it was this thought, along with the fact that later that day I found a priceless uncut diamond while walking down the street, that gave me the inspiration for the title of the book. And also the less obvious fact that dragons are associated with Wales, and some of these poems, bizarrely enough, have a Welsh theme. Originally the plan was for some, if not all, of these poems to be translated into Welsh. Sadly that hasn’t happened, although perhaps someday it might.
Wales is of course renowned for its legends, one of these being Terry Griffiths, pictured right. In the year this book was released, it was the 25th anniversary of Terry Griffiths’ win of the Embassy World Snooker Championship - in the days when you’d regularly see players puffing away on cigs, along with having the odd beer or five. I had been planning to launch this book on St David’s Day, but they said - too hackneyed; someone suggested Dylan Thomas’ birthday, I said - too hackneyed (we were in the mood for repeating each other), so I thought, I’ve got a poem about Terry Griffiths – why not make the event tie in with HIS birthday. Well it turned out his birthday isn’t until October, but looking deeper into snooker’s history, I noticed that this year neatly tied in with it being 25 years since Terry’s momentous moment, so tie it in I did.
So, The book was launched in May 2004. It has to be said the turn out for this one was poor. I would use the excuse that everyone was home watching the snooker final, but I don’t think I’d get away with it somehow, especially given that Terry wasn’t in the final this year (who would want to watch anyone else?).
On How Terry Griffiths Formed my Youth (and maybe yours too)
Poem For Cerys Matthews (or proof that I am stupid)