Before the ritual we prepare ourselves Canal Head, Cyfarthfa we feel the bones in our body Lock 1, Merthyr Tydfil about to plunge into a river Ynysfach Lock or we feel ourselves geared up to read Parliament Lock minds cleared ready Glyndurus Locks to be filled with language Aberfan Locks we ready ourselves to accept Pontygwaith Lock the coming chaos Cefnglas Lock then for a defined period of time Abercynon Locks normal rules are upended Abercynon Locks a performance happens Lock Isaf perhaps poetry happens too Ynyscaedudwg Lock perhaps poetry happens too Ty’n y graig Lock perhaps we utter names Road Lock a mantra or a poem Lock yr Odin over and over again Trallwn Lock until something shifts Ynysangharad Lock something that feels close to magical Dyffryn Lock perhaps we don masks Dynea Lock maybe a dance is made Treble Locks or a song sung

Taffs Well Lock perhaps something is ripped apart Caeglas Lock in order to be remade Portobello Lock or we could be joined Ton Lock in union to a person we love Llwynymellt Lock maybe we whisper words to ghosts Forest Lock bid the dead goodbye Melingriffith Lock perhaps we call attention Llandaff Lock to the living needs College Lock of the world around us Gabalfa Lock and make a live action Mynachdy Lock a political intervention North Road Lock

Then we return to life Crockherbtown Lock somehow changed New Lock the ritual may be repeated and repeated Sea Lock the ritual may be repeated and repeated

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Compiled from found texts by Tilla Brading ©2018

Found text: Nia Davies Ritual (Editorial), Poetry Wales Vol 54 No 1. Summer 2018

Locks on the Merthyr to Cardiff Canal