[Jayne Osborn]

Hello David,

After our meeting in Oxford it's nice to 'talk' to you again here.

The link that Charlotte posted at the start of this thread has a really interesting article, though it sounds as if you're already quite familiar with Thomas's history. I'm afraid I'm not as well-informed

[David Anthony]

Hello Jayne,
I've just read it and it's an excellent article.
I feel close to Thomas. He was one of the "old" soldiers of WW1, who had no necessity to go to war. I wrote a poem once about another: "Talking to Lord Newborough".
Best,
David

[Jayne Osborn]

David,

I'm glad you enjoyed the article. (I didn't know they wrote stuff like that in the 'Grauniad', as I don't buy it, so I was very pleased that Charlotte posted the link.)

Thanks to Amazon's wonderful 'One-click' your book, which includes "Talking to Lord Newborough" is now on its way to my house. I shall be wanting to have it signed, of course!

[Charlotte Innes]

Hello Jayne again, and hello David! I'm new at this game, so it's lovely to see so much interest around the poem and the place--and the article. So glad you enjoyed it, David. (And I will check out your book!) Thanks for all these comments.
David, I also tried to find the original Adlestrop station, based on directions given to me in the village, but failed miserably! However, the lady in the tea-shop has cards with pictures of the old platform, during Thomas' time, I believe--and the porter pictured there is godfather to one of her relatives. I am very interested in the Thomas biography and will look for it. I always feel saddened by Thomas' death--and his short life as a poet.

[David Anthony]

Originally Posted by Jayne Osborn

David,
Thanks to Amazon's wonderful 'One-click' your book, which includes "Talking to Lord Newborough" is now on its way to my house. I shall be wanting to have it signed, of course!

Thanks, Jayne.
I'll be happy to sign it when next we meet, although I fear the rarity value will be thereby diminished.
I've ordered your book of rhyming verse. I had to get a second-hand one since Amazon are out of new stock.

Tim, thanks for posting my poem.

Best regards,
David

[Jayne Osborn]

Oh heck, David, I'm really embarrassed about my old book of rhyming verse; I was a novice who's learned a lot since then.
A new (hopefully better) one is shortly becoming available.

[Jerome Betts]

Jayne, reverting to the 'mistier-Gloucestershire' pairing, the COD gives two pronunciations, 'sher' and 'sheer' for the 'shire' element of such county names. I've only ever (consciously) heard one person use the 'sher' ending and myself pronounce it 'sheer', which I'd assumed was the standard RP version. So, for me, 'mistier' - Gloucestershire' is only an approximate rhyme. I wonder if there any recordings of Thomas's own pronunciation?

[Ann Drysdale]

Oh - sorry. My point was in fact rather more tasteless than has been supposed. It's nothing to do with Welsh pronounciation per se; it was referring to the fact that many of the American vistors to the Ebbw Vale Garden Festival pronounced "Cwm" as "Quim", blissfully unaware of its anatomical connotations. I used it in a poem and the comedian Victor Spinetti incorporated it into a stand-up routine. Here in the Valleys, we get our giggles where we can.