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Home Voices | Lleisiau Poetry

Welsh Poetry Sunday: Ain’t Got My Cymru

A pre-election poem from the land of poets

Dave Lewis by Dave Lewis
03-05-2026 07:08
in Poetry, Voices | Lleisiau
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
Morning light in Snowdonia, Wales

image by Stocker1970. Licensed by Shutterstock [SD]

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Ain’t Got My Cymru


We lost our country, lost our homes
Don’t have factories or any coal
There’s no work, there’s no jobs
Paid our taxes, but got no cash
They took our government


We lost our comrades, lost our souls
Don’t have no history, got no rights
There’s no happy, there’s no fame
Got no entry, got no pass
They took our future


They carved away our mountains, got no claim to our sea
They steal our wind, our rain, our bees
Have no river, have no drink
Got no chapels, got no books, no space to think
They took our family tree


So… tell me please, what remains?
That I can cling to every day


I have my language, have my poems
I have my mind, have my spirit
I keep my gospel, keep my hymns
I have my speech, which breaks my jaw
I feel my funk, claim my freedom
I feed my dragon and carry my flag


I have hiraeth, I have hwyl
I have my heaven, and my hell
and bad neighbours too, like you


I have my children, have my choice
Take my own road, walk my path
I have my way, and somewhere I’d like to go


I feel the beat,
I see the sunrise
I feel the changes seeping through


I’ve got a vote and I’ll use it
That much is mine to keep
Whatever future comes, I’ll meet it on my own two feet


That could be good



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Dave Lewis

Dave Lewis

Dave Lewis is a #1 Amazon Best Seller and award-winning, Welsh, working class writer, poet, and photographer based in Pontypridd. He’s always lived in Wales except for a short spell in Kenya.

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