côd gwisg
i
am dy fod di’n hardd, anadlaf;
a byddaf innau’n brydferth:
gwisgaf berlau.
a phob un perl
yn ddirgel ddrych
a dodda ac a ddal dy wedd
yn gofleidiad anweledig
ii
am dy fod di’n hardd, mudanaf
a’r perlau mor ddirodres hyn
(mor ddwys a mwyn, anghofiem bron
y gwayw crai yng nghraidd yr em
a rhwygo’n ddau y gragen fyw)
yn darlledu’n ddi-ddiwedd neges gudd
fel côd morse di-dor anadlu
Translations of this Poem
Côd Gwig
Translator: Rody Gorman
Bidh t’ àilleachd gam chumail nam anail;
Bidh mi fhìn àlainn cuideachd
Is cuiridh mi umam neamhnaidean,
A h-uile h-aon dhiubh mar sgàthn,
Glainne shligheach
A’ leaghadh agus an uair sin
A’ crochadh t’ aodainn
Is ga chumail an sin gun fhaicinn.
Bidh t’ àilleachd gam humail gun bhruidhinn
Ach tha na neamhnaidean seo cho banail
(Cho sèimh is fann ‘s gun dèanadh tu dearmad
Air a’ chràdh eagach nan cridhe
‘S mar a spìonadh an t-lige bheò far a chèile)
A’ sgaoileadh gun lasachadh
Sanas-rùin
Mar mhorse na h-analach gun bhriseadh.
About this poem
‘Voyages & Versions / Tursan is Tionndaidhean’ was the title of the translation workshop run by the Scottish Poetry Library and Literature Across Frontiers 12-18 May 2003. The group consisted of Petr Borkovec (Czech Republic), Mererid Puw Davies (Wales), Jakub Ekier (Poland), Matthew Fitt (Scotland), Rody Gorman (Scotland), Milan Jesih (Slovenia), Doris Kareva (Estonia), Esther Kinsky (England) and Aled Llion (Wales). The group spent days at Moniack Mhor writing centre in the Highlands, returned to the Library in Edinburgh and went up to Dundee Contemporary Arts, and gave multi-lingual readings, producing what was, in effect, an hour’s sound-poem. Several of the poets mentioned their sense of renewed faith in poetry – how refreshed they felt by the chance to look closely at their own and others’ work in company with people whose aesthetics might be quite different but whose skills and passion were recognisably similar.
