Poems from the Soul: Twelve of the Great Hymns of Wales

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.

M. Wynn Thomas is professor of English and Emyr Humphreys Professor of Welsh Writing in English at Swansea University in Wales. He is the author of several books, including The History of Wales in Twelve Poems and A Map of Love: Twelve Welsh Poems of Romance, Desire and Devotion, also published by the University of Wales Press. Ruth Jên Evans is a professional artist who specializes in printmaking. She lives in Tal-y-bont, Ceredigion, Wales.