Gàirnealachd
Air a ghlùinean sa ghàrradh
a’ cruinneachadh ùir
mar ùrnaigh na làmhan,
A mheuran mar bhilean
ag altachadh bhriathran
gu gach aiseirigh bhliadhnail,
gach blàth na mhìorbhuil,
gach solas chaidh ghineadh à dorchad.
Ann am fionnarachd an oisein
fada bho lasraichean-teine
na sùilean sluaigh,
chì e gathan grèin’ na òr-spruilleag
air dhuilleig Eden,
druthag uisge na
boinneag fala, ’fosgladh
geata a Ghethsemane fhèin.
Lìonadh e a làmhan le ùir
is dhòrtadh e air a cheann i,
ga bhaisteadh, smùir
agus fallas a ghnùis,
a’ tilleadh a-rithist,
a’ mùchadh a chinn, a chuimhne,
gach peacadh rinn gach athair
no mac màthar riamh air thalamh
air an glanadh air falbh.
Lìonadh e a shùilean,
a chuinnleanan, a bheul
le blas nan gràs.
Dall mar a chiad latha,
aithnichidh e a ghlasrach
mar thèarman,
ga bheòthachadh.
Translations of this Poem
Gardening
On his knees in the garden
gathering earth
like a prayer in his hands,
his fingers like lips
giving words of grace
to each annual resurrection,
each blossom a marvel,
each light with genesis in dark.
In the cool of the corner,
far from the fire-flames
or the public eye,
he sees a sun-dart as gold fragment
on his leaf of Eden,
a droplet of water as
a bead of sweat, opening
the gate of his own Gethsemane.
He fills his hands with earth
and pours it on his head,
baptising himself, dust
and sweat of his brow,
returning again,
smothering his head, his memory,
each sin committed by a father
or mother’s son ever on earth
washed away.
He fills his eyes,
his nostrils, his mouth
with the taste of grace.
Blind like the first day,
he sees his rough land
as a refuge,
reviving him.
About this poem
Gaelic
Chaidh an dàn seo a thaghadh airson nan Dàn Albannach as Fheàrr 2021. ‘S e foillseachadh air loidhne a th’ ann an Dàin Albannach as Fheàrr, a’ toirt a-steach 20 dhàn air an taghadh le neach-deasachaidh fa leth gach bliadhna, le aithris aig an neach-deasachaidh is na bàird. Bheir e foir-shealladh pearsanta air bliadhna bàrdachd na h-Alba. Ann an 2021 b’ e Màrtainn Mac an t-Saoir neach-deasachaidh na Gàidhlig.Earann an Neach-deasachaidh:
Ann an ‘Gàirnealachd’ le Iain MacRath – dàn snasail, teann, drùidhteach, a ghlèidh ciad duais am farpais air a ruith le Caidreachas nan Sgrìobhaichean (Alba) – tha cumhachd nàdair cuideachd fa-near dhan bhàrd; ach an seo ’s ann a tha ar n-aire air a cuimiseachadh air aon oisean gàrraidh is air an ùir a tha ‘mar ùrnaigh’ ann an làmhan an fhir dhoill a bhios a’ tilleadh uair is uair, ràith bho ràith, ga togail ga làimhseachadh, is e ‘ga bhaisteadh fhèin’ leatha air a’ cheann mu dheireadh. Bheir an gnìomh seo furtachd anabarrach dha is e ‘a’ muchadh a chinn, a chuimhne is gach peacadh rinn gach athair is gach mac màthair riamh air thalamh.’
Chan eil teaghamh nach eil ùir an dàin seo aig Iain MacRàth fìor thorrach is e a’ toirt oirnn ceistean domhain a shireadh mu fhàs is crìonadh; ciont is mathanas; creideamh is dìomhaireachd. Chòrd e rium gu mòr.
Earrann an Ùghdair:
Chan e gàirnealair a th’ unnam gu fìrinneach. Ach thàinig am beachd thugam nuair a bha mi a’ dèanamh boiseag le ùir ‘sa ghàrradh. Bha mi a’ dèanamh bùtarrais dhe. Chuir an gniomh ‘nam inntinn a bhi a’ feuchainn ri greim a chumail air uisge no a bhi a’ dèanamh athchuinge air choireigin. Chan e duine cràbhach a th’ unnam, ach thug e orm smaoineachadh air co-chomann leis an talamh ann an dòigh diadhaidh, aosmhor. Agus bha e a’ faireachdainn ath-bheothachail – mar sin dh’ èirich sgeul son caractar. Tha an duine feumach air cobhair agus shaoil mi gum biodh iomhaigheachd a’ Bhìobaill freagarrach.
English
This poem was included in Best Scottish Poems 2021. Best Scottish Poems is an online publication, consisting of 20 poems chosen by a different editor each year, with comments by the editor and poets. It provides a personal overview of a year of Scottish poetry. The editor for Scottish Gaelic poems in 2021 was Martin MacIntyre.Editor’s note:
In ‘Gàirnealachd’ (‘Gardening’) by Iain MacRae – a sophisticated, tight, engrossing poem which secured first place in a competition run by The Federation of Writers (Scotland) – the poem notices the force of nature; but here our attention is drawn to his focus in a solitary corner of a garden and the soil that is ‘like a prayer’ in the hands of the blind man who returns again and again, season upon season, raising and handling it, and he ‘baptising himself’ with it in the final instance. This action brings him strange comfort as he smothers ‘ his head, his memory,
each sin committed by a father or mother’s son ever on earth.’
There is no doubt that the soil of this poem by Iain MacRae is truly fertile as he forces us to seek significant questions around growth and decay; guilt and forgiveness; belief and secrecy. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Author’s note:
I’m not a proper gardener. But I got the idea for ‘Gàirnealair’ while cupping my hands to transport dry compost while re-planting. I was making a clumsy job of it. The action reminded me of trying to catch water or someone making supplication of some sort. I’m not particularly religious, but it did make me think of interaction with the earth in a divine, ancient way. And it felt restorative, so a narrative took shape for a character. The character is in need of help and the Biblical imagery seemed to fit best.
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Learn more
Dàin Albannach as Fheàrr 2021: Gàidhlig
Best Scottish Poems 2021: Gaelic
edited by Martin MacIntyreIain MacRàth
Iain MacRae
Born 1955 and raised in Harris, Iain has spent most of his working life as an actor. His first play, Fantom was performed at Citizens theatre 2015.Iain MacRae
