Flann Fionn

12th century

Keep in mind that this is just one translation of both of these poems, by the same man. Other translators have come up with completely different poems.


Deirdre’s Farewell To Alba

Farewell to dear Alba, high house of the sun,
Farewell to the mountain, the cliff, and the dun;
Dun Sweeny, Adieu! For my love cannot stay,
And tarry I may not when love cries away

Glen Vashan! Glen Vashan! Where roebucks run free,
Where my love use to feast on the red deer with me,
Where rocked on thy waters while stormy winds blew,
My love used to slumber- Glen Vashan, adieu!

Glendaro! Glendaro! Where birchen boughs weep
Honey dew at high noon o’er the nightingale’s sleep,
Where my love used to lead me to hear the cuckoo
‘Mong the high hazel bushes- Glendaro, adieu!

Glen Urchy! Glen Urchy! Where loudly and long,
My love use to wake up the woods with his song,
While the son of the rock, from the depths of the dell,
Laughed sweetly in answer- Glen Urchy, farewell!

Glen Etive! Glen Etive! Where dappled does roam,
Where I leave the green sheeling I first called a home;
Where with me and my true love delighted to dwell,
The sun made his mansion- Glen Etive, farewell!

Farewell to Inch Draynach, adieu to the roar
Of the blue billows bursting in light on the shore;
Dun Fiagh, farewell! For my love cannot stay,
And tarry I may mot when love cries away

Deirdre’s Lament For The Sons Of Usnagh

The lions of the hills are gone,
And I am left alone- alone-
Dig the grave both wide and deep,
For I am sick, and fain would sleep!

The falcons of the wood are flown,
And I am left alone- alone-
Dig the grave both deep and wide,
And let us slumber side by side.

The dragons of the rock are sleeping,
Sleep thaw ales not for our weeping:
Dig the grave and make it ready;
Lay me on my true-love’s body.

Lay their spears and buckler’s bright
By the warriors’ side aright;
Many a day and three before me
On their linked bucklers bore me.

Lay upon the low grave floor,
‘Neath each head, the blue claymore;
Many a time the noble three
Reddened these blue blades for me.

Lay the collars, as is meet
Of their greyhounds at their feet;
Many a time for me have they
Brought the tall red deer to bay.

In the flacon’s jesses throw
Hook and arrow, line and bow;
Never again by stream or plain
Shall the gentle woodmen go.

Sweet companions ye were ever-
Harsh to me- your sister, never;
Woods and wilds and misty valleys
Were with you, as good’s a palace

Oh! To hear my true love singing,
Sweet as sound of trumpets ringing;
Like the sway of ocean’s swelling
Rolled his deep voice round our dwelling

Oh! To hear the echoes pealing
Round our green and fairy sheeling,
When the three, with soaring chorus,
Passed the silent skylark o’er us.

Echo, now sleep, mourn and even-
Lark alone enchant the heaven!-
Ardan’s lips are scant of breath,
Neesa’s tongue is cold in death.

Stag, exult on glen and mountain-
Salmon, leap from loch to fountain-
Heron, in the free air warm ye-
Usnagh’s sons no more will harm ye!

Erin’s stay no more you are,
Rulers of the ridge of war;
Never more ‘twill be your fate
To keep the beam of battle straight.

Woe is me! By fraud and wrong-
Traitors false and tyrants strong-
Fell clan Usnagh, bought and sold,
For Barach’s feast and Conor’s gold!

Woe to Eman, roof and wall!-
Woe to Red Branch, hearth and hall!-
Tenfold woe and black dishonor
To the foul and false clan Conor!

Dig the grave both wipe and deep,
Sick I am, and fain would sleep!
Dig the grave and make it ready,
Lay me on my true love’s body!

Translated by Samuel Ferguson

I'm on a Dylan Thomas kick at the moment, but wherever my fancy goes, it always, always, comes back to Blake. To me its something approaching perfection. http://theotherpages.org/poems/blake02.html

-LS