Despite the very blustery weather, a good audience of about 40 attended last week's meeting of the society, when Barddaniaeth Menna Elfyn came to read her poetry and talk about her work, at St. Johns schoolroom.

The chairman, Mrs. Eluned Brown, gave the welcome to everyone in Welsh and English, and expressed her pleasure at seeing the 10 A-level students from Greenhill School - who are studying Menna's poetry at A-level - together with two teachers, who joined them for the afternoon.

An internationally-acclaimed poet, Menna writes poetry only in Welsh, but this is then translated into many languages, including English, Spanish, Portugese and Taiwanese. She travels the world, giving presentations of her work, (sometimes) working for the British Council. She's travelled recently to the Basque country, where the language there, like Welsh, is spoken by a relatively small number of people. Soon, she is to travel to Columbia, to Bogata, where, she said, for the first time ever, she'll have to travel with a security guard!

In the course of her work, Menna writes for various forms of media, also writing books. One, she has written for the 'Save the Children' charity. She spent time visiting and talking with a number of 'disturbed' young people, and she read a very moving poem about one particular young man, whose emptiness of love in his life, inspired her to express this desperate sadness.

Menna read with great feeling, transposing easily between English and Welsh. For her written work, she has a 'team' of translators, several of them poets in their own right. Most of her poetry is translated into English by this selected group, but translaters from other countries obviously are necessary to translate into languages that are 'foreign' to Menna.

Over a cup of tea, after Menna's presentation, there was time for questions, which she answered fully. The society is indebted to their president, Mr. Islwyn John, for facilitating this prestigious visit by such a famous Welsh poet.

Mrs. Trevena Vincent (vice-chair) thanked Menna sincerely for coming and Islwyn for arranging the visit through Academei Cymraeg.

Later, information was given about the St. David's Day lunch and names and menu choices were taken. The lunch will be at the Broadmead Hotel in Heywood Lane on March 1, meeting at 12.30 for 1 pm. The cost is £15 per person. Those members and friends who were unable to be at the January meeting and still wish to attend the lunch, should 'phone the secretary, Mollie Neate, on 843147, as soon as possible, to discuss menus, payment etc. The guest this year at the lunch, will be a harpist, who will entertain on her pedal harp.

There will be no meeting of the society in February, because of Gwyl Dewi. The next formal meeting is the annual general meeting on Thursday, April 19, at St. Johns at 2.30 pm.