A poem of hope by the General Secretary of the Union of Welsh Independents
This year, the new General Secretary of the Union of Welsh Independents, Elinor Wyn Reynolds, is sharing a piece of poetry at the beginning of the new year.
Faced with the fact that we see our world becoming extremely polarized and people going head to head, arguing with each other; she asks us all to be the light in dark times. We can make a difference; in our communities, in our country, and beyond. All voices count, and we need to hear those voices of love, sharing and brotherhood; just as Jesus Christ did. We all live on the same planet and the start of a new year is a chance for us to begin again – for good.
Although these are troubled times, Elinor remains hopeful about the future and wishes the world a Happy New Year in 2026.
Cannwyll gynta’r flwyddyn
O gynnau cannwyll yng ngwyll blwyddyn newydd,
fe rown ni’n golau gwan i’n gilydd
ac fe rannwn obaith petrus ein taith
heb i ni gychwyn cam arni eto chwaith.
Achos wrth ddod i ddiwedd un flwyddyn gron
daw’n amser i ni ddechrau eto o’r bron,
ac yn llewyrch ansicr un cyfle arall
cawn lechen lân i droi byd gwallgo’n gall.
Gadewch i ni fod yn newid yn y byd
yn olau canhwyllau ar draws bob stryd,
yn bobl cariad, cymod, a maddau
sydd â’r grym i wneud gwahaniaeth, a goleuo pethau.
Ac ar ddibyn serth yr hen, hen flwyddyn
gan sefyll ar erchwyn un arall, sydd ar fin cychwyn,
yn nhywyllwch ’lastig yr oriau mân meithion
y mae golau ffantastig un gannwyll ein gobeithion.
[Translation}
The first candle of the year
By lighting a candle in the darkness of this new year,
we give weak light to each other
and we’ll share the tentative hope of the journey
without a single step taken quite yet.
Because when we come to the end of one whole year
it's nearly time to start another again,
and in the uncertain glow of one more chance given
we are given a clean slate to put to rights an upside down world.
And let us be the change in the world
let us be candlelight across every street,
let us be the people of love, reconciliation, and forgiveness
the ones who can make a difference, and throw light on the matter.
And here on the precipice of the old, old year
standing by the shoulder of another, about to start,
in the elastic gloom of those small, dark hours
is the fantastic light of one hopeful candle.
Elinor Wyn Reynolds
