Daughters of Dylan by Rufus Mufasa

Every day this week I will be sharing a series of interesting films, videos and recordings ‘inspired by Dylan Thomas’ to celebrate International Dylan Thomas Day on May 14th.

The recording by Rufus Mufasa of her song Daughters of Dylan that will be available from May 14th for two weeks. She explains below how Dylan Thomas has inspired her work.

 

Dylan Thomas is always there! He’s on my shelves. In my speakers. He was there in the trenches of my second labour. We celebrated my first daughter’s third birthday at The Boat House, eating the house special rarebit and cake, with the resident robin.

The following words are from my song, Daughters of Dylan, from the album Fur Coats From The Lion’s Den, produced by Jamey P.

It was a dark dark night,
The moon filled the sky.
Dylan Thomas sang me lullaby.
He said “Girl, resurrect that rage,
Pick up the pen and fill the page…”

I listened to these words. I picked up the pen and I filled books. I picked up the pen to deal with awful pre and post natal care, and took it to senior staff in hospitals, in person, and I read every word of concern, face to face, because sometimes letters back and forth don’t quite cut it!
I picked up the pen and wrote to my daughters, and I wrote to and for the land, creating a book by doing so.
I picked up the pen and created an album, where Daughters of Dylan lives, and has inspired others, is being used in schools, and most recently in a hip hop theatre production, a co-creation with Avant Cymru and Unity,
People-Picture-Power-Perception
which will launch at this year’s Cardiff Fringe Festival, at Chapter Arts on the 31st May.

Daughters of Dylan is being used widely and wisely, and will echo at festivals this summer.

My aim was to release Daughters of Dylan on International Dylan Day last year, but motherhood had other plans. So this year, Kevs Ford and I were adamant that Merched Dylan, also featured in
People-Picture-Power-Perception, would be ready in time for this year’s celebrations, giving thanks to the man that pioneered beat poetry, and taking the page to the stage.

I have been actively involved with International Dylan Day since 2016, and it is a secure part of my calendar as an artist. I dive into his work regularly, ever since I found my first Dylan Thomas book, age 7. Almost three decades later, I’m still thirsty. I’m not much of a drinker, so this is my poetic shot of whisky, to a beautiful man, that helped mould me, and man who was there when I needed him the most.

 

Art work by Lou Lockwood AKA Enta

 

Hannah Ellis – 14th May 2018.