The Poems of Dafydd Ap Gwilym by Joseph P. Clancy

Author:Joseph P. Clancy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brown Dog Books

EXILE AND IFOR

IN PRAISE OF IFOR AP LLYWELYN

I

A wheel makes good speed going down a steep hillside

Or a gull crossing an inlet:

Twice as well, rewarding lord,

Your praise speeds, I’m constant, Ifor.

Good the sea’s pleasant weaving and its long soaking

Of a raider’s anchor rope:

Better my weaving, bravest door,

Of the tongue’s praise for you, Ifor.

A flood-tide’s expanse, stone’s curtain, won’t grow,

Arthur’s pride or Hector’s,

Fine response, proverbial door,

As your praise will grow, Ifor.

I wish you an easy life, lucky lord,

And send loving greetings,

Army’s equal, steel-plated door,

Strong men’s terror, mighty Ifor.

II

Lord of the world’s might, peopled four corners,

And Lord of heaven’s court, bright its choir,

May He sustain on earth-curtaining sea,

Firmament’s Lord, mighty Ifor.

Merchant, treasure’s praiseworthy creator,

Rebuke to Norman riches, standard of fame;

War-host’s hewer, gold court’s weapons for Angles’ grief,

Mary’s favour, he’s crossed seas, on Ifor.

Mighty Hercules’ splendid nature, clad in bright purple,

And proficient open-handed Nudd;

Lovely and stalwart, the vessel at anchor:

He’s not done badly, well-born Ifor.

There’d be, where he’s lacking, no doing without him;

May I not be without him, ready-handed lord.

There’ll not be a donor better or nobler,

There’s been none the equal of Ifor.

III

Handsome generous offspring, steady flow of mead,

Of white-helmed Llywelyn, brilliant kinsman.

There’s not a straightforward fair-browed lord

Like, liberal-minded, flourishing Ifor.

He gives me pleasant days, with ready advice,

Pleasant nights of peace near a blithe lord.

Pleasant table-talk for me, daily welcome,

Pleasant life for his sworn brother, loyal Ifor.

Pleasant, praise of a Hector’s ox-charge in battle,

Pleasant his attack, with stout shield, on Deifr-like men.

I embarked, and with the urgent surge I had

The boundless feast of fair bountiful Ifor.

Fair faultless men, great fretted shield door for bards,

Blithe harrower of the battle of Severn’s border.

Noah was long-lived: steadfast young shield-lord,

May Ifor’s life, splendid stay, be longer.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.