The Poetry of Wales Part 2

AN ODE TO THE THUNDER.

TRANSLATED BY THE REV. R. HARRIES JONES, M.A.

[The author of the following poem, Mr. David Richards, better known by his bardic name of Dafydd Ionawr, was born in the year 1751 at Glanmorfa, near Towyn, Merionethshire, and died in 1827. He was educated at Ystradmeurig Grammar School, with a view to entering the Welsh Church, but his academic career was cut short by the death of his parents, and he devoted himself to tuition. He composed two long poems, viz.: an "Ode to the Trinity," and an "Ode to the Deluge," besides a number of minor poems, and were first published in 1793. This poet is designated the Welsh Milton, by reason of the grandeur of his conceptions and the force of his expression.]

Swift-flying courser of the ambient skies!

Thy trackless bourne no mortal ken espies!

But in thy wake the swelling echoes roll While furious torrents pour from pole to pole; The thunder bellows forth its sullen roar Like seething ocean on the storm-lashed sh.o.r.e; The muttering heavens send terror through the vale, And awe-struck mountains shiver in the gale; An angry, sullen, overwhelming sound That shakes each craggy hollow round and round, And more astounding than the serried host Which all the world's artillery can boast;-- And fiercely rushing from the lurid sky From pregnant clouds and murky canopy The deluge saturates both hill and plain-- The maddened welkin groaning with the strain: The torrents dash from upland moors along Their journey to the main, in endless throng, And restless, turbid rivers seethe and rack, Like foaming cataracts, their bounding track; A devastating flood sweeps o'er the land, Tartarean darkness swathes the sable strand!

O'er wolds and hills, o'er ocean's chafing waves The wild tornado's bl.u.s.ter wierdly raves; The white-heat bolt of every thundering roar The pitchy zenith coruscating o'er; The vast expanse of heaven pours forth its ire 'Mid swarthy fogs streaked with candescent fire!

The sombre meadows can be trod no more Nor beetling brow that over-laps the sh.o.r.e; The hailstones clattering thro' field and wood-- The rain, the lightning and the scouring flood, The dread of waters and the blazing sky Make pensive captives all humanity; Confusion reigns o'er all the seething land, From mountain peak to ocean's clammy strand; As if--it seemed--but weak are human words, The rocks of Christendom were rent to sherds: They clash, they dash, they crash, above, around, The earth-quake, dread, splits up and rasps the ground!

Tell me, my muse, my G.o.ddess from above, Of dazzling sheen, and clothed in robes of love, What this wild rage--this cataclysmic fall-- What rends the welkin, and, Who rules them all?

"'Tis G.o.d! The Blest! All elements are his Who rules the unfathonable dark abyss.

'Tis G.o.d commands! His edicts are their will!

Be silent, heavens! The heavens are hushed and still!"

These are the wail of elemental life; The fire and water wage supernal strife; The blasting fire, with scathing, angry glare, Gleamed like an asphalte furnace in the air: Around, above it swirled the water's sweep, And plunged its scorching legions in the deep!

The works of G.o.d are good and infinite, The perfect offsprings of his love and might, And wonderful, beneficient in every land-- With wisdom crowned the creatures of His hand; And truly, meekly, lowly must we bow To worship Him who made all things below, For from His holy, dazzling throne above He gives the word, commanding, yet in love,-- "Ye fogs of heaven, ye stagnant, sluggard forms That float so laggardly amid the storms!

Disperse! And hie you to yon dormant sh.o.r.es!

Your black lair lies where ocean's caverns roar!"

The fogs of heaven o'er yonder sun-tipped hill Their orcus-journey rush, and all is still.

In brilliant brightness breaks the broad expanse Of firmament! Heaven opens to our glance; And day once more out-pours its silvery sheen, A couch pearl-decked, fit for its orient queen; (aurora) The sun beams brightly over hill and dale Its glancing rays enliven every vale: Its face effulgent makes the heaven to smile Thro' dripping rain-drops yet it smiles the while, Its warmth makes loveable the teeming world, Hill, dale, where'er its royal rays are hurled; Sweet nature smiles, and sways her magic wand, And sunshine gleams, beams, streams upon the strand; And warbling birds, like angels from above Do hum their hymns and sing their songs of love!--

THE DELUGE.

BY DAVID RICHARDS, ESQ.

Whether to the east or west You go, wondrous through all Are the myriad clouds; Dense and grim they appear-- Black and fierce the firmament, Dark and horrid is all.

A ray of light's not seen, But light'ning white and flashy, Thunder throughout the heavens, A torrent from on high.

A thousand cascades roar Boiling with floods of hate, Rivers all powerful With great commotion rush.

The air disturb'd is seen, While the distant sea's in uproar: The heaving ocean bounds, Within its prison wild; Great thundering throughout The bottomless abyss.

Some folk, simple and bewilder'd, For shelter seek the mountains; Shortly the raging waters Drown their loftiest summits.

Where shall they go, where flee From the eternal torrent?

Conscience, a ready witness, Having been long asleep, Mute among mortals, Now awakens with stinging pangs.

THE SHIPWRECK.

BY REV. W. WILLIAMS.

[The Rev William Williams, whose bardic name was _Gwilym Caledfryn_, was a Welsh Congregationalist Minister, and an eminent poet. His Ode on the wreck of the ship Rothsay Castle, off Anglesea, is a very graphic and forcible Poem, and won the chief prize at an Eisteddfod held at Beaumaris in 1839, which was honoured by the presence of Her Majesty the Queen, then the Princess Victoria, who graciously invested the young bard, with the appropriate decoration.]

Boiling and tearing was the fearful deep, Its raging waves aroused from lengthened sleep Together marching like huge mountains; The swell how great--nature bursting its chains!

The bounding spray dashed 'gainst the midnight stars In its wild flight shedding salt tears.

Again it came a sweeping mighty deluge, Washing the firmament with breakers huge; Ripping the ocean's bosom so madly, Wondrous its power when roaring so wildly, The vessel was seen immersed in the tide, While all around threatened destruction wide.

G.o.d, ruler of the waters, His words of might now utters, His legions calls to battle: No light of sun visible, The firmament so low'ring, With tempest strong approaching.

Loud whistling it left its recesses, Threats worlds with wreck, so fearful it rages, While heaven unchaining the surly billows, Both wind and wave rush tumultuous, Sweeping the main, the skies darkening, While Rothsay to awful destruction is speeding.

Anon upon the wave she's seen, Reached through struggles hard and keen: Again she's hurled into the abyss, While all around tornados hiss, Through the salt seas she helpless rolls, While o'er her still the billow falls: Alike she was in her danger To the frail straw dragg'd by the river.

The ocean still enraged in mountains white, Would like a drunkard reel in sable night, While she her paddles plies against the wave, Yet all in vain the sweeping tide to brave: Driven from her course afar by the loud wind, Then back again by breezes from behind; Headlong she falls into the fretful surge, While weak and broken does she now emerge.

The inmates are now filled with fear, Destruction seeming so near; The vessel rent in awful chasms, Waxing weaker, weaker she seems.

Anon is heard great commotion, Roaring for spoil is the lion; The vessel's own final struggles Are fierce, while the crew trembles.

The hurricane increasing Over the grim sea is driving, Drowning loud moans, burying all In its pa.s.sage dismal.

How hard their fate, O how they wept In that sad hour of miseries heap'd; Some sighed, others prayed fervently, Others mad, or in despair did cry.

Affrighted they ran to and fro, To flee from certain death and woe; While _he_, with visage grim and dark, Would still surround the doomed bark.

Deep night now veiled the firmament, While sombre clouds thicker were sent To hide each star, the ocean's rage No cries of grief could even a.s.suage.

The vessel sinks beneath the might Of wind, and wave, and blackest night, While through the severed planks was heard The breaker's splash, with anger stirred.

PART II. THE BEAUTIFUL.

AN ADDRESS TO THE SUMMER.

BY DAFYDD AP GWILYM.

[Dafydd ap Gwilym was the son of Gwilym Gam, of Brogynin, in the parish of Llanbadarn Fawr, Cardiganshire, and was born about the year 1340. The bard was of ill.u.s.trious lineage, and of handsome person. His poetical talent and personal beauty procured him the favourable notice of the fair s.e.x; which, however, occasioned him much misfortune. His attachments were numerous, and one to Morvydd, the daughter of Madog Lawgam, of Niwbwrch, in Anglesea, a Welsh chieftain, caused the bard to be imprisoned. This lady was the subject of a great portion of the bard's poems. Dafydd ap Gwilym has been styled the Petrarch of Wales. He composed some 260 poems, most of which are sprightly, figurative, and pathetic. The late lamented Arthur James Johnes, Esquire, translated the poems of Dafydd ap Gwilym into English. They are very beautiful, and were published by Hooper, Pall Mall, in 1834. The bard, after leading a desultory life, died in or about the year 1400.]

Thou summer! so lovely and gay, Ah! whither so soon art thou gone?

The world will attend to my lay While thy absence I sadly bemoan: With flow'rs hast thou cherish'd the glade, The fair orchard with opening buds,-- The hedge-rows with darkening shade, And with verdure the meadows and woods.