[NPM] today's poem
Many thanks to erstwhiletexan for posting this one ages ago, which is why I know of it, and to speak_me_fair for helping me track down the Welsh text.
Aubade
Dafydd ap Gwilym, trans. Rolfe Humphries
It seemed as if we did not sleep
One wink that night; I was sighing deep.
The cruellest judge in the costliest court
Could not condemn a night so short.
We had the light out, but I know,
Each time I turned, a radiant glow
Suffused the room, and shining snow
Alit from Heaven's candle-fires
Illuminated our desires.
But the last time I held her, strong,
Excited, closest, very long,
Something started going wrong.
The edge of dawn's despotic veil
Showed at the eastern window-pale
And there it was, - the morning light!
Gwen was seized with a fearful fright,
Became an apparition, cried,
"Get up, go now with God, go hide!
Love is a salt, a gall, a rue,
A vinegar-vintage, Dos y Ddw,
Vaya con Dios, quickly, too!"
"Ah, not yet, never yet, my love;
The stars and moon still shine above."
"Then why do the raucous ravens talk
With such a loud insistent squawk?"
"Crows always cry like that, when fleas
Nibble their ankles, nip their knees."
"And why do the dogs yip, yammer, yell?"
"They think they've caught a fox's smell."
"Poet, the wisdom of a fool
Offers poor counsel as a rule.
Open the door, open it wide
As fast as you can, and leap outside.
The dogs are fierce when they get untied."
"The woods are only a bound from here,
And I can outjump a deer, my dear!"
"But tell me, best beloved of men,
Will you come again? Will you come again?"
"Gwen, you know I'm your nightingale,
And I'll be with you, without fail,
When the cloud is cloak, and the dark is sky,
And when the night comes, so will I."
***
Y Wawr
Uchel yr wyf yn ochi,
Echnos y bu hirnos hi,
A bernos, medd y beirniad,
A bair gwen heb un gair gwad.
Echnos, dyn oleudlos ŵyl,
Wythnos fu unnos, f'annwyl.
Neithiwyr y bûm mewn uthr bwyll,
Nyf gain, gyda nef gannwyll,
Yn mynnu tâl am anhun,
Yn aml barch yn emyl bun.
Pan oedd ffyrfaf fy ngafael
A gorau 'mhwynt, gwrm ei hael,
Uchaf len, awch aflonydd,
Och wir Dduw, nacha wawr ddydd.
'Cyfod', eb y gwen lenloyw,
'Cêl hyn; wel dyna'r coel hoyw.
Deigr ynial dy garennydd,
Dos i ddiawl; wel diso ddydd.'
'Hirfun dda hwyrfain ddiell,
Hyn nid gwir; hynny neud gwell,
Lleuad a roes Duw Llywydd,
A sêr yn ei chylch y sydd.
Hyn o dodaf henw didyb,
Honno y sydd dydd o dyb.'
'Gwawr honnaid, pei gwir hynny,
Paham y cân y frân fry?'
'Pryfed y sydd yn profi,
Lluddio ei hun, ei lladd hi.'
'Mae ci dan llef y dref draw
Ag eraill yn ymguraw.'
'Coelia fanag yn agos,
Cyni a wna cŵn y nos.'
'Paid â'th esgusawd wawdwas,
Pell boen a fynaig pwyll bas.
Wrth gael taith, anrhaith unrhyw,
Antur i'th ddydd, anterth yw.
Cyfod, er Crist, yn ddistaw,
Ac agor y dromddor draw.
Rhyfras camau dy ddeudroed,
Rhydaer yw'r cŵn, rhed i'r coed.'
'Ochan! Nid pell y gelli,
A chynt wyf finnau no chi.
Ni'm gwŷl dyn ffel, ni'm delir,
O rhan Duw, ar hyn o dir.'
'Dywaid hyn, fardd diwyd da,
Er Duw ym, or doi yma.'
'Deuaf, mi yw dy eos,
Diau, 'y nyn, o daw nos.'
Aubade
Dafydd ap Gwilym, trans. Rolfe Humphries
It seemed as if we did not sleep
One wink that night; I was sighing deep.
The cruellest judge in the costliest court
Could not condemn a night so short.
We had the light out, but I know,
Each time I turned, a radiant glow
Suffused the room, and shining snow
Alit from Heaven's candle-fires
Illuminated our desires.
But the last time I held her, strong,
Excited, closest, very long,
Something started going wrong.
The edge of dawn's despotic veil
Showed at the eastern window-pale
And there it was, - the morning light!
Gwen was seized with a fearful fright,
Became an apparition, cried,
"Get up, go now with God, go hide!
Love is a salt, a gall, a rue,
A vinegar-vintage, Dos y Ddw,
Vaya con Dios, quickly, too!"
"Ah, not yet, never yet, my love;
The stars and moon still shine above."
"Then why do the raucous ravens talk
With such a loud insistent squawk?"
"Crows always cry like that, when fleas
Nibble their ankles, nip their knees."
"And why do the dogs yip, yammer, yell?"
"They think they've caught a fox's smell."
"Poet, the wisdom of a fool
Offers poor counsel as a rule.
Open the door, open it wide
As fast as you can, and leap outside.
The dogs are fierce when they get untied."
"The woods are only a bound from here,
And I can outjump a deer, my dear!"
"But tell me, best beloved of men,
Will you come again? Will you come again?"
"Gwen, you know I'm your nightingale,
And I'll be with you, without fail,
When the cloud is cloak, and the dark is sky,
And when the night comes, so will I."
***
Y Wawr
Uchel yr wyf yn ochi,
Echnos y bu hirnos hi,
A bernos, medd y beirniad,
A bair gwen heb un gair gwad.
Echnos, dyn oleudlos ŵyl,
Wythnos fu unnos, f'annwyl.
Neithiwyr y bûm mewn uthr bwyll,
Nyf gain, gyda nef gannwyll,
Yn mynnu tâl am anhun,
Yn aml barch yn emyl bun.
Pan oedd ffyrfaf fy ngafael
A gorau 'mhwynt, gwrm ei hael,
Uchaf len, awch aflonydd,
Och wir Dduw, nacha wawr ddydd.
'Cyfod', eb y gwen lenloyw,
'Cêl hyn; wel dyna'r coel hoyw.
Deigr ynial dy garennydd,
Dos i ddiawl; wel diso ddydd.'
'Hirfun dda hwyrfain ddiell,
Hyn nid gwir; hynny neud gwell,
Lleuad a roes Duw Llywydd,
A sêr yn ei chylch y sydd.
Hyn o dodaf henw didyb,
Honno y sydd dydd o dyb.'
'Gwawr honnaid, pei gwir hynny,
Paham y cân y frân fry?'
'Pryfed y sydd yn profi,
Lluddio ei hun, ei lladd hi.'
'Mae ci dan llef y dref draw
Ag eraill yn ymguraw.'
'Coelia fanag yn agos,
Cyni a wna cŵn y nos.'
'Paid â'th esgusawd wawdwas,
Pell boen a fynaig pwyll bas.
Wrth gael taith, anrhaith unrhyw,
Antur i'th ddydd, anterth yw.
Cyfod, er Crist, yn ddistaw,
Ac agor y dromddor draw.
Rhyfras camau dy ddeudroed,
Rhydaer yw'r cŵn, rhed i'r coed.'
'Ochan! Nid pell y gelli,
A chynt wyf finnau no chi.
Ni'm gwŷl dyn ffel, ni'm delir,
O rhan Duw, ar hyn o dir.'
'Dywaid hyn, fardd diwyd da,
Er Duw ym, or doi yma.'
'Deuaf, mi yw dy eos,
Diau, 'y nyn, o daw nos.'