A Little Bit Of Culture...

A little bit of Culture... Poetry from soc.culture.irish

Dánta na hÉireann (poems composed in Irish)

Posted by K E Dennis
on: 6 April 2008

Seal Dá Saol Celia de Fréine	*Faoi Chabáistí is Ríonacha* *Conamara, Co. na Gaillimhe: Cló Iar-Chonnachta Teo,* *2001*
	A Time In Her Life - translation by Celia de Fréine

Bhí sí meallta leis an tír – tais ach tirim –
is leis na tithe lena dtinteáin is a gceol
cé go raibh ceol san fharraige
fuinneamh sna tonnta
an fheamainn choiréalach inchurtha
leis na meallta fraoigh
a bhí ag gobadh amach idir na carraigeacha
is leis an bhfeileastram dearg
a d'fhás ar thaobh an bhóthair
ar a bealach chun an bhaile.

Chuir na daoine fáilte roimpi
agus cé go raibh a fhios acu
gur fholaigh sí a clóca
i lochta nó i ngráinseach
gach uair a tháinig sí i dtír
níor deineadh iarracht é a bhaint di.
Agus gach uair a tháinig sí
bhain sí fúithi seal níos faide.
Bhí a fhios aici go dtiocfadh lá
a mbeadh uirthi rogha a dhéanamh –

d’fhéadfadh sí filleadh
fad is a bhí a fallaing aici.
Agus cé a bheadh ag iarraidh
bronntanas a mhilleadh?

A Time In Her Life
trans., Celia de Fréine

She was attracted to the land –
damp though dry – and to the houses
with their hearths and music,
though there was music in the sea,
strength in the waves,
the coral weed every bit as beautiful
as the globs of heather
that sprouted among the rocks,
or the montbretia that lined the road
on her way to town.

The people made her welcome
and though they knew
that each time she came ashore
she hid her cloak
in a loft or granary
no one tried to take it from her.
Each time she stayed,
she stayed a little longer
knowing a day would come
when she’d have to make a choice –

she could always leave
as long as she had her mantle.
And who'd want to destroy a gift?

[The Silkie, by William Greenway]

[Selchie: Seal Man, by Jerah Chadwick]

--- The End ---