Mick Paynter

Michael Kenneth (Mick) Paynter (born 1948, St Ives, Cornwall) is a Cornish civil servant, trade union activist, and poet.

Mick Paynter

Apart from a period of study at the University of Newcastle, his home has always been in Saint Ives (Cornish Porthia).

He is a member of Gorseth Kernow, and was initiated as a bard under the Bardic name Skogynn Pryv (Worm's Fool) in 2003 on passing a Cornish language examination after four years of study, largely conducted during train journeys as a trade union representative. The name derives from the nickname of a smuggler's assistant in a local story involving outwitting a Customs man, and was chosen as appropriate as he worked for 32 years in the Inland Revenue. He was Deputy Grand Bard from September 2006, and was installed as Grand Bard in September 2009 until her handed over to Maureen Fuller (Steren Mor) at the end of the Camelford Gorsedd on 1st September 2012.

As well as contributions to anthologies, he has written three collections of poetry in Cornish with English translations, and is Cornish Language Editor of Poetry Cornwall / Bardhonyaeth Kernow.

His poetry combines the easy flow of colloquial Cornish with a variety of influences ranging from Afro-American song to Primo Levi and early Celtic literature. He is a frequent contributor to magazines such as Scryfa and Poetry Cornwall / Bardhonyeth Kernow. His collection "A Worm's Folly" received a nomination in the 2012 Holyer an Gof literary awards.

Publications

• 2001: Routh a Vaneryow/A Crowd of Banners. Porthia: Pendrivel
• 2001: Michel Corolleur 1895-1942. Porthia: Pendrivel
• 2002: Yn ow Hilyarth Nebjydh /In my Backyard Someday. Porthia: Pendrivel
• 2003: Bardhonyeth Kernow / Poetry Cornwall. 2003-
• 2003: Scryfa; vol. 2. Callington (poem in anthology)
• 2004: And all the World Our Patch: Cornish language poems and others . Redruth: Palores Publications ISBN 0-9547985-3-8
• 2006: 101 Poets for a Cornish Assembly. Portishead: Boho Press (poems in anthology edited by Les Merton)
• 2006: Nothing Broken: recent poetry in Cornish. London: Francis Boutle (poems in anthology edited by Tim Saunders)
• 2007: Scryfa; vol. 7. Callington (poem in anthology)
• 2007: Kernow Bys Vykken (Cornwall Forever) (a collection set to music)
• 2009: "Time for Song/Termyn rag Kan" London,(translation of poem in anthology) *2010Scryfa; vol. 12. Callington (poems in anthology)
• 2010: Gwydh Meur a Gernow / Great Trees of Cornwall. Redruth: Palores (joint editor with Les Merton)
• 2010 "Cornish Bards of the St.Ives Area/Berdh Kernow an Ranndir Porthia" Gorsedh Kernow Archives& Publications Committee/St Ives Archive Centre(Bilingual foreword)
• 2011 "A Worm's Folly". London: Francis Boutle (Kernewek Poetry Collection with English translations, foreword by Mererid Hopwood)
• 2011'Thus Es Et'London; Francis Boutle Essay on the relation of KERNEWEK to Dialect and dialect verses in anthology of Cornish Dialect edited by Les Merton
• 2011 "Cornish Bards of the Helston/Berdh Kernow an Ranndir Hellys" Gorsedh Kernow Archives& Publications Committee
• 2012 "Cornish Bards of the North Cornwall Area/Berdh Kernow an Ranndir Kernow Gledh" Gorsedh Kernow Archives& Publications Committee

References

• "'Worm's Fool' to be the next deputy grand bard", Western Morning News, Plymouth, August 29, 2006
• "New Grand Bard identifies challenges for the Gorsedd". Western Morning News, Wednesday, September 2, 2009, 11:00
• “Our time is coming' says new Grand Bard.” West Briton 9 September 2009.*
• "Grand Bard: Piran Pascoe's column is as false as Jordan's silicone surgery". 'West Briton, Friday, September 18, 2009
• Mick Paynter, Gallery of Grand Bards, Gorseth Kernow
• A Cornish character: Mick Paynter, Grand Bard Cornish World Magazine December 2009
• "Territorial integrity at risk, Grand Bard warns Gorsedd", West Briton, :September 9, 2010
• "Cornish Reflections: An easier way to learn Kernewek" by Mick Paynter, Cornish Guardian; Truro (UK), March 10, 2010*
• "Cornish Reflections: by Grand Bard Mick Paynter" Cornish Guardian; Truro (UK), March 31, 2010
• "THERE'S no word for Jumbo?" by Mick Paynter, West Briton 17/06/2010
• "How Cornish lived their lives in paper's early days" by Mick Paynter West Briton 15/07/2010
• "Grand Bard Mick Paynter: Everyone must do what is needed", “New sword and book for Gorsedd”West Briton September 2nd , 2010 - Article

from: West Briton, September 9, 2010

• "A Paynter for every Cornish time" a rebel poet of many causes.Book Review A WORM'S FOLLY in Morning Star 13 July 2011
• "Guardians of a rich cultural heritage" Cornish Guardian / Cornishman, Thursday, August 18, 2011
• "The Bards are back" Mensa Magazine February 2012
• "Filiocht i gCoirnis bheo bhriomhar" Colm de Faoite, Review in Carn February 2012
  • Maga-Lyther Nowodhow Mis Est 2012, " A Worm's Folly,kuntel bryntin a varthonogow gans Mick Paynter a dhiskwa y gerensa dhown rag Kernow ha lieskonykter an yeth kERNEWEK"
  • Maga Newsletter August 2012 "A Worm's Folly a wonderful colection of poems by Mick Paynter"

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