Patrick Jones (poet)

Patrick Jones is a Welsh poet and author. He is the brother of Nicky Wire from the band the Manic Street Preachers.

Born in Tredegar in 1965 he was educated at Oakdale Comprehensive, Cross Keys College, and the University of Wales, Swansea from 1983-1987. He left with BA Hons in Sociology and American literature. Patrick also worked in Youth work, nursing aid, as a literacy officer and lecturer. He has lived much of his life Blackwood, but also lived in Herne Bay, Swansea, Germany and four years in Chicago, Illinois. Patrick set up the Blackwood Young Writers Group based at Blackwood miners institute in 1993. He has also been the Creative Literacy Worker writer for the Cynon project and a writer in residence at Swansea college in 1998 and teaches adult literacy at Blackwood Community College and Ebbw Vale Institute. Patrick is also responsible for setting up various reading and writing workshops throughout Wales from schools to youth centres. Some public appearances included TV shows, radio readings, interviews and many collaborations with James Dean Bradfield of The Manic Street Preachers. He also participated in a week long intensive writing masterclass with Arnold Wesker at Hay on Wye literature festival in 1997. Patrick also participated the 1998 Dysfluency Tour and the 1998 and 1999 Manics conventions. He also appeared in BBC Two's Manics documentary "From There To Here", part of the "Close Up" series. In April 1999 Patrick staged a Kosovo benefit at Blackwood Miner's Institute for which Max Boyce, James Dean Bradfield and a cast came together for a night. He also returned to the Hay On Wye Festival in 2004 for a discussion with James Dean Bradfield on music, politics and writing. Has worked with St. David's Foundation Hospice Care, The Samaritans, Hope and Aid Direct and Learning through Growth in the Cynon Valley. Recently completed the Beneath The Radar poetry reading tour in Wales and Ireland.Has been involved in many protests including Save The St David's Woods, Stop The War, justice for fathers denied rights to their children and Amnesty International.

Published Work

• The Guerilla Tapestry (1995)
• The Protest of Discipline (1996)
• Detritus (1997)
• Mute Communion (1997)
• Commemoration and Amnesia (CD of Patrick's poetry with music by artists including James Dean Bradfield, Thighpaulsandra and Super Furry Animals. Big Noise Productions) (1999)
• Fuse (A compilation of poetry plus "Everything Must Go" and "Unprotected Sex" Parthian Books) (2001)
• Against (2003)
• He has also contributed to the anthologies "Out of the coalhouse" and "Red poets society".

Last wRites- Edited the  anthology of poems in response to the destruction of 3,000 trees at St. David's Wood in Blackwood.Also contained poems by  Nick Jones, Irene Jones, Peter Finch, Owen Sheers and Beverley Humphreys

Plays

• Everything Must Go (Sherman Theatre, March 1999, with a tour of UK in 2000)
• Unprotected Sex (Sherman Theatre, October 1999)
• The War is Dead, Long Live the War (Sorted Productions, 2003)
• The Absents (Performed as a 'work in progress', Cardiff 2005)

Sing to Me - Gwent Theatre - 2006 Bridges- play commissioned by Blaenau Gwent Council for their youth theatre

Other Work

• Pictures of the Gone World, a film poem directed by Joanna Hughes (BBC Wales, 1999)

• Co-writer of lyrics to the song 'Fragments' on the Manic Street Preachers "Lifeblood" album

• Short Films for the "Lifeblood" songs "1985", "Solitude Sometime Is" "A Song For Departure" "1985" and "Cardiff Afterlife". The films were available to view on the Manics' official website for a short time following the release of the album (see External link).

The Absents- short film in the Digital Visions scheme with Sgrin, BBC Wales and UK Film Council

• Nutters - a film directed by Karl Francis in collaboration with Headlands NCH SChool and Chapter Arts Centre - to be shown 2007

Future Projects

• Meat - a play that explores religion's influence on morality and modernity.
• The Patricide Elegies - extensive play/poem project that tells the story of abused men and excluded fathers

External links

• Official Patrick Jones Website
• Official Manic Street Preachers Website