Wednesday 16 December 2009

WINTER -Welsh, author unknown; c. eleventh century



sharp wind
stark hill
scant shelter
unforded ford
frozen lake
a single stem
would bear a man
wave on wave
drowns the shore
high cries
from the steep slope
hard even to stand
for a man outside
cold lakebed
before the winter
reeds withered
stalks broken
harsh wind
branches bare
cold bed of fishes
under ice cover
starved stag
bearded reeds
short evening
trees bent
falling snow
white cloak
warriors make
no foray
cold lake
of warmthless colour
falling snow
idle shield
hoar frost
idle shield
on a spent man's shoulder
shrill wind
grass freezing
falling snow
on the skin of the ice
billowing wind
through close trees
a shield sits well
on a well man's shoulder
falling snow
the valley fills
warriors go to war
but I shall not go
a wound forbids it

4 comments:

  1. sweet & as always ''cheers'' for sharing.xx

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  2. and as always heddwch, cheers xx

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  3. Translation by Robin Williamson?

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  4. crumbs yes believe so, had forgotten I'd posted this, so long ago must have taken from the legendary multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter's,Craneskin Bag; Selected Writings that came out in 1989 I think.

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