On Aberfan

All these years of silence - and now, an outpouring of the unimaginable pain, sorrow and loss of all those who were affected then, and in the intervening years, by the horrific catastrophe of Aberfan; told with almost unbelievable dignity and stoic strength; and, even more amazingly, showing a picture of creativity, sharing, friendship, survival and new life coming from the unspeakable disaster.

Why have these grief-stricken people had to wait so long,  FIFTY YEARS,  to tell their story!!!!!!!!!???????

Shame on you BBC for showing these most moving and powerful testaments to such suffering on BBC4. Why not BBC2 which is far more accessible to far more people? WHY? The programmes this evening have been a true and fitting memorial. It has been a privilege to watch them and has made me feel, in some small way, solidarity with the people of Aberfan.

This was a worldwide grief, a horror, a sacrilege!! It should have been a front page story at least!! It is not simply a Welsh tragedy; it wounds all people on earth, all those of us who care and grieve for the loss of others, wherever they may be.

Thank you ITV for the marvellous programme on the Young Wives Club of Aberfan. It was so well-told; moving and uplifting too; not mawkish or intrusive. I shall remember its images and the amazing courage and dignity of those people forever. They were, to me, a lesson for us all.

Perhaps it's as well that the National Coal Board no longer exists. How could all of those involved live with themselves!? If only people could face up to and acknowledge their failings. But are we surprised? I don't think so. The history of mankind shows that people are always ready to 'wash their hands' of all blame in such situations. Are we our brothers' keepers? Well no, but we are our children's and their families' carers or so we should be!

"Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

No-one intended those children and adults to die but all those who should have taken responsibility, shut their eyes until it was too late. May we all learn from this so as not to have the blood of innocent lives on our hands.

"At First Sight", a poem by Robert Graves

'Love at first sight', some say, misnamimg
Discovery of twinned helplessness
Against the huge tug of procreation.

But friendship at first sight? This also
Catches fiercely at the surprised heart
So that the cheek blanches and then blushes.


I loved this poem from the first moment that I read it;
so spare and yet so telling.
The words and rhythms and syllable beat (9,9,10 / 9,9,10) -
clever and yet completely unaffected.
Again, he says so much with so little.

"On first Meeting": a poem for a friend

On First Meeting

I saw you - and I knew you,
as if in some long time before
we were well-known to one another.

And in that glance there was -
a meeting of eyes - surprise -
recognition.

That knowledge has not proved false.
Our friendship fits our lives. It began that day -
and has stayed the course of time. 

We speak, we write but rarely;
meet less often - but always it is there;
instant, constant connection.

You are my friend - and I am yours.
That's it and all of it.


On September 30th, many years ago, my friend and I met on our first evening as students, when a group of us gathered in my room. We are best friends to this day, although two more different people it would be hard to find.
We meet a few times each year and are immediately back in the day of that first meeting. We have a totally honest relationship. We do not feel the same about many things but our relationship is an indelible constant in our lives.
For this, I am infinitely grateful. What an amazing gift is friendship.