GILLIAN Clarke, the former National Poet of Wales, will be giving a rare poetry reading and talk in Lampeter at 5.15pm on Tuesday (6 December) in the Old Hall on the Lampeter campus.

Gillian will be talking on her poetry about the stars – her intriguing title is ‘Man, Mystery, Myth and Metaphor: Poetry and the Heavens’.

The event is part of the Faculty of Humanities seminar programme and is a celebration of the seventh birthday of the Sophia Centre Press and the launch of its latest book, Ada Blair’s Sark in the Dark, an account of the Dark Sky reserve on the Island of Sark.

Gillian is no stranger to Lampeter. She was poet-in-residence in the college for 1984-5, when she set up the Lampeter Writers Workshop, which she ran until 2008. She was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry 2010 and the Wilfred Owen Award 2012 and is currently working on a new collection, titled Zoology.

Dr Nick Campion, Director of the Sophia Centre, which is hosting the event, said: “It’s always a privilege to have Gillian come to speak.

“And it’s a treat to hear her poetry and thoughts about the stars, a vital part of our lives which we all too easily ignore these days. It’s great to have her remind us of their existence!"

Dr Campion will also talk briefly on the ‘Harmony of the Sky’ and for those who want to stay and chat, wine, soft drinks and mince pies will be available.