The National Poet of Wales, Hanan Issa, has described the decision to exclude her poem from the Senedd's opening ceremony as "quite concerning." The rejected work, titled To Grow, touched upon various political issues, including community concerns surrounding proposed data centres.
Issa remarked that it was telling how a chamber designed for political debate seemingly found a poem addressing those same topics unwelcome. Sources from Reform indicated they believed the commission made the appropriate decision regarding the ceremony.
Discussing the role of a writer, Issa referenced John Lennon, noting that a poet's function is to attempt to express feelings and realities. The poem was ultimately kept out of the official event program.