Spotlight on Poet Gwenhwyfar Ferch Rhys

Her poetry has been featured in various journals and anthologies, including Up/Roar from Arachne Press and Fierce Salvage, an anthology of queer Scottish writing due out in 2025 from 404Ink. In this interview, she discusses her influences, recent projects, and what drives her creativity.

Gwenhwyfar began writing poetry in her early teenage years as a means of emotional regulation. She used writing as a way to process overwhelming emotions, which she likened to a steam valve releasing pressure to avoid an explosion. Although this method drew her into poetry, she became aware of its potential pitfalls, realizing that depending on suffering to create could lead to financial instability in a writing career.

In order to find inspiration beyond her own experiences, Gwenhwyfar has focused on external sources like images, historical events, and broader concepts. This shift allowed her to engage with her autobiographical writing while exploring wider themes.

Her current project, a debut collection titled Y Plant Darogan and Othe(i)r Foredreamings, intertwines her experience growing up trans with elements of mythology, history, and political discourse. The collection features three pamphlets that address various aspects of her identity and experience. The first, [ac]quiesonce, delves into the intersections of her trans identity and Welshness, while the second pamphlet, After Pride Comes, tackles contemporary issues faced by trans individuals today. The third installment, Where A Kid Can Be, contrasts her childhood experiences with spaces of significance in her present.

Gwenhwyfar emphasizes the therapeutic nature of her writing process, stating that she has moved toward a narrative-driven approach that resolves trauma rather than merely exploiting it.

When asked about her writing rituals, she revealed her method of transferring work into fresh documents to ease anxiety over losing her writing. She also finds physical tokens related to her writing themes helpful.

One of her literary heroes is Kathleen Jamie, Scotland's Makar from 2021-2024. Gwenhwyfar recalls being profoundly impacted by performing alongside Jamie, which led her to reflect on the importance of her voice representing the communities she belongs to.

Additionally, she expressed admiration for poets like Chen Chen and Stephen Sexton, who have inspired her through their innovative use of form and exploration of memory and childhood.

If her poems were an animal, Gwenhwyfar described them as a Chimera, symbolizing the way she blends various elements to create her work. She chose to share her poem ‘Self-Portrait as Y Plant Darogan’, believing it encapsulates the essence of her pamphlet [ac]quiesonce. This piece was published in the Australian journal Voiceworks, and she hopes to reach a Welsh audience with it.