I thought I'd reshare this poem for New Year's Day – I wrote it in 2016 but it feels more suited to 2021. ​Yes, this January 1st is just a Friday after a Thursday and nothing in the world has changed, but even if things get worse again we’re still one day closer to better times. Keep going.

The years are storm-straddled,
crag-black hooves thundering between headlands,
kicking up hailstones,
washing sandbagged towns to the sea.
But, this afternoon, jaws clamp open,
and all surface water reflects a fresh blue page.

​So go outside, and with the winter sun on your neck,
a crisp shock of air in your lungs, tune out
the fore-echo of hoofbeats, the sound
of the storm about-turning. A new year stretches out
as empty as mirrors, though no doubt still heavy
with the weight of a first bite.

​Haiku from That Lone Ship (Parthian Books, 2018)
parthianbooks.com/collections/poetry/products/that-lone-ship

Bit late posting about this, but three of my poems were translated into Greek over the summer for this anthology of Welsh poets from YoungPoets.eu and Wales Literature Exchange, published by Vakxikon. Chuffed to be included alongside these names, and also to learn that my name in Greek is Ρις Οουάιν Γουίλιαμς.

All the poems in the anthology are printed in their original language (Welsh or English) alongside Greek translations. You can purchase a copy of the book, and also learn more about the project and the poets involved, on the Young Poets website: youngpoets.eu/en/anthology-of-young-welsh-poets

Throughout August I took part in #TheSealeyChallenge – a reading challenge where participants read a book of poems a day during the month of August, and share their picks on social media to promote the poets/the reading of poetry. There's some good quotes about the challenge from founder Nicole Sealey in this Electric Lit  article.

As a slow reader I’m lucky if I get through 31 books in a year, so for my first attempt at the challenge I chose to revisit 31 single poems instead – all favourites from collections and pamphlets I’ve recently read/re-read. 

Hats off to those reading entire collections, because I fell behind a few times during the month. It's been great to revisit poems though – you can see all my picks on this Twitter thread.