Rhys Owain Williams
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rhysowainwilliams.bsky.social
Rhys Owain Williams
@rhysowainwilliams.bsky.social
Writer of poetry, fiction and other things | That Lone Ship (Parthian Books) | Hay Festival Writer At Work | He/Him | https://linktr.ee/rhysowainwilliams
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It’s #OCDAwarenessWeek. Here’s a poem I wrote after being diagnosed with OCD a couple of years ago, originally published in Field’s issue on the theme of ‘control’.
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
20 years ago we were suing teenagers for millions of dollars because they were torrenting a single Metallica album and now billionaires are demanding the free right to every work in history, so that they can re-sell it.

The law only ever serves capital.
January 8, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Lore update: my 3-year-old says Garfield doesn’t love lasagne he loves sushi. It makes more sense I suppose.
November 8, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
A little extract of Wild Running in The Independent this morning, exploring Pen Y Fan and focusing on women's safety in running 🏃‍♀️ @serenbooks.bsky.social

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/w...
Wild running gives me freedom, but I’m always looking over my shoulder
In this abridged extract from award-winning poet and writer Natalie Holborow’s new book ‘Wild Running’, she follows a trail around the Brecon Beacons in South Wales while reflecting on women’s safety
www.independent.co.uk
September 7, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Best stairwell in Wales (if there is such a thing)
August 30, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
The term 'wits' / 'witsh' first appeared in William Salisbury's Welsh-English dictionary in 1547, borrowed from the English 'witch.' Before then, the Welsh didn't really have a word to describe witches. Accusations in Welsh records are full of 'witses' & 'witshes.'
August 19, 2025 at 12:09 PM
I've never written a sestina before, but I've had an idea for one for a couple of years now without ever sitting down to write it. Finally pushing myself to get at least a first draft ready by the end of this month, and thought I would 'live tweet' (or whatever the Bluesky version is) as I go.
August 23, 2025 at 8:44 AM
I’ve got a poem in the new issue of @gutter.bsky.social, available to buy at guttermag.co.uk/getgutter/p/gutter-32. ‘The First Law of Thermodynamics’ is written in memory of my stepdad, who died in March 2020 a week before the first lockdown. Can’t believe over 5 years have now passed.
August 20, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Been thinking this week how most of the poems I write come from sitting down and choosing to work on something, but every so often that spark of inspiration hits and all of a sudden an entire first draft has appeared out of nowhere.
July 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
This has been a dream to work on and a nice break to write about history, creativity and falling down hills on my backside in beautiful South Wales. Out September 15th! Pre-order here: www.serenbooks.com/book/wild-ru...

#running #writing #trailrunning
Coming soon: @natholborow.bsky.social encourages you to get out and explore South Wales in trainers in her new book ‘Wild Running’, publishing 15 September. Available to pre-order now www.serenbooks.com/book/wild-ru...
July 15, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
❀ WITSH ❀

There's just 3 months to go until Witsh hits bookshelves! I'm so excited to be able to share this story with the world.

I don't want to inundate anyone but just to say, pre orders are open: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/wits...

#Witchcraft #Witchrature #Wales #WritingSky #HistoricFiction
July 23, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
A Suppertime Special Edition! I am going to be serializing my novel, “Are You There?”, on Substack over the next ten weeks (starting next Monday). Check out my latest post to see how it all works and gear up for a fun 🤩 summer read 🏖️ 👻 emilyvanderploeg.substack.com/p/are-you-th...
July 14, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Bit late posting about this but was so happy to have a new poem published in the latest issue of @poetrywales.bsky.social – a special edition feat 60 new Welsh poets to celebrate the magazine’s 60th anniversary. Diolch to @zoebrigley.bsky.social for choosing it and here’s to the next 60 years of PW!
July 1, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
Librarians and primary school teachers! Join me and @darrenchetty.bsky.social for this event on July 10th in Cardiff on Creating Inclusive Libraries and Curricula and get a free copy of Beyond the Secret Garden!
June 23, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Signed in to LinkedIn for the first time in over 2 years. It's always been full of nonsense, but I see they're now making up geographical areas on there too.
June 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was making the advert at the top of my inbox look like an unread email.
May 17, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Can't believe it's been 20 years since the last game at @swansofficial.bsky.social's Vetch Field, a 2–1 win that saw us raise the FAW Premier Cup. Here's a poem I wrote about that final final-whistle, originally published in 'That Lone Ship' (available from @parthianbooks.bsky.social). #UppaJacks
May 11, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
Publication Day! Thanks to everyone who pre-ordered I'm Going to Make a Friend. It's out today.

Illustrated superbly by Sandhya Prabhat. Published by
@littletigeruk.bsky.social

Here's a lovely review by @edfinch.bsky.social
for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social
: justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...
May 1, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Happy Publication Day to @darrenchetty.bsky.social for #ImGoingToMakeAFriend – a book that’s quickly become a favourite in our house!
May 1, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
My first ever picture book is out May 1st. A lovely review
-and link to order - here: www.letterboxlibrary.com/product-page...

I'm Going to Make A Friend is illustrated by the amazing
Sandhya Prabhat and published by
@littletigeruk.bsky.social
April 16, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Great poetry-writing advice here (as expected) from @natholborow.bsky.social. Chuffed to see my poem ‘Vetch Field Elegy’ get a mention too 🦢
April 30, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
"Poems live not just in what happened, but in the infinite ways it can be seen."

Blogging/procrastinating. Put a few tips in here that I've been given and have helped me - I hope you find value in them too 💖✨

natalieholborow.com/2025/04/29/h...
How do you Surprise your Readers in Poetry?
Writing poetry can feel challenging, particularly when seeking inspiration. The author reflects on how poems often surprise us through their unexpected turns, or “volta,” which enhance …
natalieholborow.com
April 29, 2025 at 7:43 PM
like acupuncture needles,
twenty wind turbines
pinprick the hilltop

#Haiku for March from That Lone Ship (@parthianbooks.bsky.social, 2018)
March 22, 2025 at 9:00 AM
I usually only add 10 new poems to this thread each #WorldPoetryDay, but 2025 has been a bumper edition as I've also added poems from previous years' Twitter postings in readiness for shutting down my account on there. Apologies if I flooded your feed, normal service will resume on WPD2026 I'm sure.
It's #WorldPoetryDay, so I’m going to share some of my favourite 300-character-friendly poems throughout the day.

(If your poem is featured in this thread and you'd prefer it not to be, let me know).
March 22, 2025 at 12:07 AM
I think about this line from Great Expectations pretty much every day throughout March
March 14, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Reposted by Rhys Owain Williams
“In poetry we hold our culture.” Nick Makoha

Check out Poetry Off The Shelf’s latest episode where we deep dive into the Welsh language and culture, cynghanedd poetry, and the Cerdd Tafod Arall project.
Thanks again to Helena, Nick, Ciara and Hammad 💚

open.spotify.com/episode/11WB...
To the Brink
Poetry Off the Shelf · Episode
open.spotify.com
March 5, 2025 at 12:12 PM