Showing posts with label cilmeri. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cilmeri. Show all posts

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Sunday...

The Colorado Welsh Society is having their Christmas tea this afternoon, and I'm scheduled to read two poems as part of the program. So guess what I was doing this morning... Here's the first.

Where is Llywelyn? Ble mae o?
He was due back eight nights ago.
The low sun creeps across the sky
And still I wait. He cannot die.
Without him, Wales might cease to be!
Ble mae Llywelyn? Where is he?

Where is Llywelyn? Ble mae o?
With banners bright we saw him go.
His scarlet lions shone in the sun—
I know this war can still be won—
and Cymru still can flourish, free!
Ble mae Llywelyn? Where is he?

Where is Llywelyn? Ble mae o?
I watch and wait; my worries grow,
But from the south I get no news.
The English king cannot refuse
To make peace soon, and then we’ll see…
Ble mae Llywelyn? Where is he?

Where is Llywelyn? Ble mae o?
Gwenllian fach, I do not know.
I wish that I could hold you tight.
I walk the battlements each night.
The sunrise lights no hope in me.
Ble mae Llywelyn? Where is he?

Where is Llywelyn? Ble mae o?
Outside Cilmari, in the snow,
Uncomforted, they say he died
In arms struck down. I know they lied.
He must live still! It cannot be!
Ble mae Llywelyn? Where is he?

Where is Llywelyn? Ble mae o?
To Avalon I’d have him go,
Like Arthur, live, and still fight on.
My time is spent. I must be gone.
Remember Eleanor, my dear—
Ble mae Llywelyn? I am here…


For more background, see Wikipedia.

Cilmeri

-GRG

Friday, December 10, 2010

... and Friday

Another nice day here, although it may snow tomorrow. Maybe I can sneak a bit of writing in this weekend; I'm impatient to get started again. Three more weeks...

Meanwhile, the possible weather sounds appropriate, and the forecast for south Wales, which is similar, more appropriate still. December 11 is the 808th anniversary of the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, last Prince of independent Wales. I visited his memorial again on my August Welsh trip - here's one of the pictures:

Cilmeri

And another of the Welsh marker stone by the gate (there's an English version as well):

Cilmeri

(Near this place was killed Llywelyn our last leader. 1282.)

Drink a toast to him tomorrow!

-GRG