Poets From Wales

"When God comes A great noise will pierce us, The day of judgment terribly. Messengers from the door, Wind, and sea, and fire. lightning and thunder A number without flattery. The people of the world groaning Will be concealed."

"Kings will shudder [that] day, Woe awaits them! When the recompenser shall appear, Let the heaven appear below. A ruddy wind will be brought Out to the cinder, Until the world is as desolate As when created."

"Songs and minstrels. And the hymns of angels, Will raise from the graves, They will entreat from the beginning. They will entreat together publicly, On so great a destiny. Those whom the sea has destroyed Will make a great shout, At the time when cometh He, that will separate them."

"Do not thy passions counteract What thy lips utter? Thy going in thy course into valleys, Dark without lights. And mine were his words. And mine were his languages."

"Those that placed me on the cross I knew when young. That drove me on the tree, My head hung down. Stretched were my two feet, So sad their destiny. Stretched with extreme pain The bones of my feet. Stretched were my two arms, Their burden will not be. Stretched were my two shoulders, So diligently it was done. Stretched were the nails, Within my heart. Stretched was the spiking, Between my two eyes. Thick are the holes Of the crown of thorns in my head. The lance was struck And my side was pierced. It will be struck to you also, As your right hand (struck me). To you there will be no forgiveness, For piercing me with spears. And the Ruler we knew not When thou wert hung."

"Ruler of heaven, Ruler of every people! We knew not, O Christ! that it was thou. If we had known thee, Christ, we should have refrained from thee."

"There was a calling on the Creator, Upon Christ for causes, Until when the Eternal Should deliver those whom he had made. The Lord answered them, Through language and elements: Take the forms of the principal trees, Arranging yourselves in battle array, And restraining the public."

"When the trees were enchanted, In the expectation of not being trees, The trees uttered their voices From strings of harmony, The disputes ceased. Let us cut short heavy days, A female restrained the din. She came forth altogether lovely. The head of the line, the head was a female. The advantage of a sleepless cow Would not make us give way. The blood of men up to our thighs, The greatest of importunate mental exertions Sported in the world. And one has ended From considering the deluge, And Christ crucified And the day of judgement near at hand."

"Sure-hoofed is my steed impelled by the spur; The high sprigs of alder are on thy shield; Bran art thou called, of the glittering branches."

"Sure-hoofed is my steed in the day of battle: The high sprigs of alder are on thy hand: Bran by the branch thou bearest Has Amathaon the good prevailed."

"Thrice three protections, Returning to the old places, With a steed used to the field."

"I have been a sow, I have been a buck, I have been a sage, I have been a snout, I have been a horn, I have been a wild sow, I have been a shout in battle. I have been a torrent on the slope, I have been a wave on the extended shore. I have been the light sprinkling of a deluge, I have been a cat with a speckled head on three trees. I have been a circumference, I have been a head. A goat on an elder-tree. I have been a crane well filled, a sight to behold. Very ardent the animals of Morial, They kept a good stock. Of what is below the air, say the hateful men, Too many do not live, of those that know me."

"I saw a feeding about a lion for plants, I saw leaves of luxuriant growth. I saw a branch with equal blossoms. Did I not see a prince? most liberal his customs, I saw the ruler of Cathraeth beyond the plains Be my oak the gleaming spirit of the Cymry."

"The value of my cry great will be its advantage to degrees. The chief of men, shield of warriors. The extensive booty of the ashen shaft is my fair Awen. A shield before a prince, bright his smile, Heroic, aspiring, the most heroic is Urien"

"To my deprivation, to my sorrow, sinew was brave. The world would not be if not for my offspring. I am a bard to be praised. The unskilful May he be possessed by the ravens and eagle and bird of wrath."

"Abiding in heaven was he, my desire, Against the eagle, against the fear of the unskilful. I am a bard, and I am a harper, I am a piper, and I am a crowder. Of seven score musicians the very great enchanter."

"Fair Elphin, cease your lament! Swearing profits no-one. It is not evil to hope Nor does any man see what supports him, Not an empty treasure is the prayer of Cynllo, Nor does God break his promise."

"Fair Elphin, dry your cheeks! Such sorrow does not become you, Although you consider yourself cheated Excessive sorrow gains nothing, Nor will doubting God's miracles."

"Elphin of noble generosity, Do not sorrow at your catch. Though I am weak on the floor of my basket, There are wonders on my tongue."

"While I am watching over you, no great need will overcome you. be mindful of the name of the Trinity And none shall overcome you."

"I have fled in the shape of a raven of prophetic speech, in the shape of a satirizing fox, in the shape of a sure swift, in the shape of a squirrel vainly hiding. I have fled in the shape of a red deer, in the shape of iron in a fierce fire, in the shape of a sword sowing death and disaster, in the shape of a bull, relentlessly struggling."

"I have come to salvage Elphin's honor and his freedom. Taliesin am I, primary chief bard to Elphin. Primary chief poet Am I to Elphin. And my native country Is the place of the Summer Stars. John the Divine Called me Merlin, But all future kings Shall call me Taliesin."

"I am old. I am young. I am Gwion, I am universal, I am possessed of penetrating wit."

"There will be commotions and turbulent times, Seek no peace — it will not accrue to thee. The Ruler of Heaven knows thy prayer. From his ardent wrath thy praise has propitiated him The Sovereign King of Glory addresses me with wisdom Hast thou seen the dominus fortis? Knowest thou the profound prediction domini?"

"I have sat in the perilous seat Above Caer sidi. I shall continue to revolve Between the three elements."

"The Cauldron of Wisdom and Inspiration must be kept boiling for a year and a day, and then the first three drops from it would impart ultimate knowledge to the one who drank them. But the rest of the liquid would be deadly poison. Long labored Ceridwen, roaming far to find the rare and exotic herbs she required, and so it chanced that she fell asleep on the last day of the spell. The boy Gwion was stirring the brew when three drops flew out onto his thumb, and they were scalding hot, so that he thrust it into his mouth to stop the burning. Instantly, he had the wisdom and inspiration of ages, and the first thing that occurred to him was that Ceridwen would be very angry."

"Excellent in every way around the glens The two skilful ones make inquiries"

"Whence come night and flood? How they disappear? Whither flies night from day; And how is it not seen?"

"The Cymry will be lamenting While their souls will be tried Before a horde of ravagers. The Cymry, chief wicked ones, On account of the loss of holy wafers."

"Dominus virtutum Has gathered together those that were in slavery, And before I existed He had perceived me. May I be ardently devoted to God! And before I desire the end of existence, And before the broken foam shall come upon my lips, And before I become connected with wooden boards, May there be festivals to my soul!"

"Seven scores, seven scores, seven hundreds of saints, And seven thousands and seven ten scores, November a number implored, Though martyrs good they came."

"Which was first, is it darkness, is it light? Or Adam, when he existed, on what day was he created? Or under the earth’s surface, what the foundation? He who is a legionary will receive no instruction."

"A hallowed grave in dying, with the grave an altar: I adore the sovereign lord, the great, That I be not sad, Christ grant me."

"Let them make their war. Whence come night and day? Whence will the eagle become gray? Whence is it that night is dark? Whence is it that the linnet is green? The ebullition of the sea, How is it not seen?"

"Monks throng like a kennel of pups from disputing with the masters who instruct them whether the run of the wind is one, or one the ocean's waters or one the spark of fire - an illimitable clamour."

"I am not meet for petty men, slack their spirit: They know not, they, what day the Chief was made, what hour of the fine day was born the owner, what a beast they keep with its silver head. When we went with Arthur, a sorry strife, Save for seven none came up from Fort Hoar-side."

"Monks mass like a pack of wolves from disputing with the masters who instruct them - They know not when deep dark and dawn divorce nor who sends the wind, nor who moves it, where it disappears to, what land it strikes."

"There are three fountains In the mountain of roses, There is a Caer of defence Under the ocean’s wave. Illusive greeter, What is the porter’s name?"

"Composed for renown am I, a verse heard on the stone-doored isle in the four-quartered fort. Tranquillity and obscurity mingled shiny wine their drink before their retinue. Three fulnesses of Prydwen we went upon the main, Save for seven none came up from Castle Rigor."

"Composed for renown am I, a verse heard four times over in the four-quartered fort in the song of the cauldron when first it gave voice, warmed by the breath of nine maidens. The Chief of Annwn's cauldron, who finished the rim around its edge with pearl, swore never should it cook a coward's food? A bright flashing sword was raised to it and it was left in the hand of Llenlleawc and lanterns shone before Hell's mouth's door and when we went in with Arthur trouble glittered: Save for seven none came up from Fort Mead-mad."

"I am not meet for petty men, the book a boss: They saw not Arthur's virtue beyond the Fort of Glasses. Three score centuries of men stationed on the wall: to speak with its sentinel was not easy. Three fulnesses of Prydwen we went with Arthur, Save for seven none came up from Fort Hindrance."

"I adore the sovereign lord of the royal land - May his dominion extend over the reaches of the cosmos!"

"Perfect was Gweir's prison in the Faery Fort. Due to the ministry of Pwyll and Pryderi none before him had entered therein. In the heavy blue chain a faithful servant kept him and for the Spoils of Annwfn keenly he chanted and unto Doom shall continue in bard-orison. Three fulnesses of Prydwen we entered in: Save for seven none came up from Fort Faery."

"I am not meet for petty men, slack their habit: They know not, they, on what day who was made, what hour of the fine day was born to whom, who made him who went not to the dale of Tefwy. They know not, they, the great Speckled Ox in headgear with seven-score links in its collar-chain. And when we went with Arthur, a sorry visit, Save for seven none came up from Fort Divine Height."

"Who was confessor To the gracious Son of Mary? What was the most beneficial measure Which Adam accomplished?"

"Twelve thousand in the convention Believed through the voice of John. They worship, they deserve a portion, In heaven they will not be angry."

"The number that have been, and will be, Above heaven, below heaven, how many there are. And as many as have believed in revelation, Believed through the will of the Lord. As many as are on wrath through the circles, Have mercy, God, on thy kindred. May I be meek, the turbulent Ruler, May I not endure, before I am without motion. Grievously complaineth every lost one, Hastily claimeth every needy one."

"I will declare when I am in the gravel, From the maintenance of gifts, From being numbered, from going to be a martyr In the reckoning of Saint Segerno. From a word when sin may be to me, Let there be no sigh from those that hear me."

"this extraordinary and memorable being, who, for all his humility, bore about him something of the primitive splendour and directness of the Elizabethan age"

"It was the Rainbow gave thee birth, And left thee all her lovely hues."