Welsh Retrospective

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Friday Poem – ‘Case History’ by Dannie Abse

Black and white photo of a stethoscope laying beside a pile of old books.

This week’s Friday Poem is ‘Case History’ by Dannie Abse from his collection Welsh Retrospective. Friday 22nd September marks Abse’s centenary. Join us at Carnegie House in Bridgend for a special event celebrating his life and work.

Case History ‘Most Welshmen are worthless, an inferior breed, doctor.’ He did not know I was Welsh. Then he praised the architects of the German death-camps – did not know I was a Jew. He called liberals, ‘White blacks’, and continued to invent curses. When I palpated his liver I felt the soft liver of Goering; when I lifted my stethoscope I heard the heartbeats of Himmler; when I read his encephalograph I thought, ‘Sieg heil, mein Führer.’ In the clinic’s dispensary red berry of black bryony, cowbane, deadly nightshade, deathcap. Yet I prescribed for him as if he were my brother. Later that night I must have slept on my arm: momentarily my right hand lost its cunning.
Dannie Abse Remembered: Centenary Celebration. From 7pm Friday 22nd September 2023. Carnegie House, 14 Wnydham Street, Bridgend, CF31 1EF. £5.50 general admission. £3.50 concessions.
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Friday Poem – ‘In the Welsh National Museum’ by Dannie Abse

This week’s Friday Poem is ‘In the Welsh National Museum’ by Dannie Abse from his collection of selected poems Welsh Retrospective.

Welsh Retrospective is a selection of poems about his native Wales by one of Britain’s most popular poets. Dannie Abse’s Welsh and Jewish backgrounds have been essential to his writings. Wales and Cardiff, in particular, have haunted his imagination. In this revealing book he writes movingly about the Cardiff of his childhood, home of his beloved Bluebirds football team, and also about the small village of Ogmore-by-Sea, location of early holidays and for many years his home in Wales.

Welsh Retrospective is available on the Seren website: £8.99

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Friday Poem – ‘Return to Cardiff’, Dannie Abse

Dannie Abse Return to Cardiff

The National Eisteddfod is coming to Cardiff, and with just a few hours to go, we couldn’t think of a better Friday Poem to feature than Dannie Abse’s ‘Return to Cardiff’.

Wales, and Cardiff in particular, haunted the imagination of the great Dannie Abse. In Welsh Retrospective he writes movingly about the Cardiff of his childhood, home of his beloved Bluebirds football team, and also about the small village of Ogmore-by-Sea, location of early holidays and for many years his home in Wales. Selected from the whole of Dannie Abse’s writing career, the book includes such well known and well-loved poems as ’In the Theatre’ and our featured poem today, ’Return to Cardiff’, alongside many previously uncollected poems. Welsh Retrospective gives fascinating insights into Dannie Abse’s Wales and his versatility as a poet.

 

Friday Poem Return to Cardiff Dannie Abse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listen to Dannie Abse performing this remarkable poem at Seren’s First Thursday event, December 2009:

 

Welsh Retrospective is available from the Seren website: £8.99

Join our free Book Club for 20% off every book you buy from us.