The Black Spot (Y Blotyn Du) - Hedd Wyn

[Amadeus]

NID oes gennym hawl ar y sêr,
Na'r lleuad hiraethus chwaith,
Na'r cwmwl o aur a ymylch
Yng nghanol y glesni maith.

Nid oes gennym hawl ar ddim byd
Ond ar yr hen ddaear wyw;
A honno syn anhrefn i gyd
Yng nghanol gogoniant Duw

We have no right to the stars,
Nor the homesick moon,
Nor the golden-edged clouds
In the centre of the long blueness.

We have no right to anything
But the old and withered earth;
That is all in chaos
At the centre of God's glory.

[cameron]

Thanks for posting this Amadeus - nice one.

My total Welsh vocabulary is as follows:

heddlu (police)
araf (slow)
canolfan (centre, as in health/bike centre)

- so I can't comment on the accuracy of the translation I'm afraid.

This is very "poetic" isn't it? I baulk a bit at the religious content of the last line but hey ho.

I'll try and post the picture of Hedd Wyn's statue (Trawsfynydd) when I get it.

Cheers

C

[Amadeus]

Thanks Cameron. I love the work of Hedd Wyn, and I am currently in the middle of translating all of his work. At the moment, I am in the middle of translating his epic ode "Yr Arwr".
http://freepages.books.rootsweb.com/~al ... arwr.shtml

I'll post it when I am finished.

[Dee]

The written welsh language always looks poetic and although I don't understand it I get a definite feel of poetry from just trying to read it.

Well done for taking on what seems to me to be an incredibly difficult undertaking.

I study Spanish which is a phonetic language and therefore it is usually possible to have a guess at the translation, but not always easy to define the meaning.

Look forward to seeing some more of your work.

Dee

[Amadeus]

The written welsh language always looks poetic and although I don't understand it I get a definite feel of poetry from just trying to read it.

Well done for taking on what seems to me to be an incredibly difficult undertaking.

I study Spanish which is a phonetic language and therefore it is usually possible to have a guess at the translation, but not always easy to define the meaning.

Look forward to seeing some more of your work.

Dee

Thanks dee. Yes, that is talways the problem with the welsh poetry - it is very hard to put into other languages, as it's form a lot of the time is something called Cynghanedd which is a type of inner-harmony within the lines which only tend to work in Welsh really, given the nature in which the language is spoken. This is the reason that Weslh poetry is not meant to be read, ideally, but heard.

[Dee]

Your description of 'inner harmony' sounds very musical. The Welsh choirs have a unique sound. Is this a similar meaning?

Dee

[Minstrel]

I'll be happy to read your translation of Yr Arwr if you care to post when finished. I have read a translation somewhere but can't remember the source. A worthwhile undertaking.

David.

[Amadeus]

Your description of 'inner harmony' sounds very musical. The Welsh choirs have a unique sound. Is this a similar meaning?

Dee

Sorry, I missed this question.

Yes, these two are linked. A lot of Welsh poets write in Cynghanedd, as it is believed to express true skill and mastery of the language. Therefore, in the National Eisteddfod, the greatest poetry prize is reserved for the poet who writes in Cynghanedd. Cynghanedd creates a unique sound, depending on which form one uses. There is:

Cynghanedd groes ("cross-harmony") -
All consonants which appear in the line before the caesura must be repeated after it, in the same order. For example:

clawdd i ddal / cal ddwy ddwylaw
CL Dd Dd L / C L Dd Dd L

Cynghanedd draws (also "cross-harmony")
Like the cynghanedd groes, except not all of the consonants are repeated.

Cynghanedd sain ("sound-harmony")
The line has two caesuras, and thus has three sections. The first and second sections rhyme; the consonants of the second section are repeated in the third section. For example:

pant yw hwy / na llwy / na llaw
/ N Ll / N Ll

Cynghanedd lusg ("drag-harmony")
The first accented syllable in the line rhymes with the second-to-last syllable of the line. For example:

duw er ei radd / a'i addef,,


All these create beautiful sounds, which do not really work when read, but Welsh poetry is designed to be heard, and not read. Therefore, this form works fantastically.

Edit: don't worry, trying to get your head around cynghanedd is like trying to squeeze toothpaste back into the tube. It is a real pain, and is very hard to describe. It is more reliant upon people knowing what it is, really. It's a bit like the Island in Pirates of the caribbean that can only be found by those who know where it is.

[cameron]

I'm having trouble getting hold of the picture of Hedd Wynn's statue but here is the butcher's shop in Trawsfynydd.



It made us laugh because every time we went past it was "Open" but there was a conspicuous lack of meat for sale!

C

[barrie]

No meat, is it?

Going by the butcher's name - Maybe the dog's run off with it!

[Amadeus]

Cameron - I have a photo of his statue which I will pst, alongside a biography if you want

Gareth

[cameron]

Gareth,

Yes, be good to see a photo. However, might be best to post any biographical info in "Poetry Discussion".

Cheers
Cam

[Lake]

I am only able to read the English version and I've enjoyed it very much. It is an easy read, flows well and has a pleasant sound to the ear.

[liz armstrong]

I'm accompanying a group of GCSE history students to France/Belgium next month. As we will be visiting Artillary Wood we hope to attend the graves of Francis Ledwidge and Hedd Wyn. I was wondering if anyone has translated all or part of 'Yr Arwr' - 'The Hero'?
Liz

[Amadeus]

I'm accompanying a group of GCSE history students to France/Belgium next month. As we will be visiting Artillary Wood we hope to attend the graves of Francis Ledwidge and Hedd Wyn. I was wondering if anyone has translated all or part of 'Yr Arwr' - 'The Hero'?
Liz

Liz,

Appologies for not having replied earlier. I am nearly done transating Yr Arwr, and have translated much of is other work. When i finish the translation, I'll post it for you.

Regards

Gareth