Tiny harp

Consolations

Irish feast Four quatrains of the following poem, ¶¶8-11, are edited and translated by O'Curry, Manners and Customs III, 318. He supposes the writer to have flourished about the year 1500. From the style and language I should have put it later, but there are no references to fix the 'time, place and person'. As to the fourth question which, according to the medieval Irish, should be asked of every composition, 'the cause of its making', we may infer that the unknown author wrote to please himself. His verse is quite lacking in the technique of the professional poet, yet it has a charm of its own. He tells how, after the loss of his dear friends, he falls back on the companions who never fail him, his books, his sword and dagger, the chess-board on which he once won many a hard match, above all his 'musical branch', a beautiful harp.

1.	Deithfridh am dháil, a leobhráin, a bhreac-sgríbhinn sgeólfholláin; ná déin dealachudh riomsa ó táid cách dom thréigionnsa.	Hasten towards me, my booklet, speckled writing of wholesome tale; part not from me, since all others are forsaking me.
2.	Tar, a dhuilleogach glanbhláith, is fíordhaingean fuaighealtáith; coisgidh mo chumha dá n-aithle, an ghlanghasrudh ghruadhghairthe.	Come, thou of the fair smooth pages, firmly stitched together: check my grief after the loss of that fair bright-cheeked company.
3.	Ad chonchlonn tabhair ag tochd mo fphennér ollomhglan éadtrochd, líonta d'airmpheannaibh géara leabhairreannach righin nuaighléasta.	Bring with thee, as thou comest, my pen-case, ready, clean, brilliant, filled with sharp dart-like pens, limber-tipped, firm, newly trimmed.
4.	Tabhair fós páipéar is peall fám láimh ón sgagtha sgríbheann eir rithleirg mín na duille, mionleitir chiorrdhubh chóirethe.	Bring likewise paper and cushion under my hand whence writing is to percolate upon the smooth slope of the leaf, a fine script, jet-black, uniform.
5.	Mo dhuanaire tabhair ret ais don Ghaoilheilg fhíoruasail fhorais, go bhfionnam fréamha gach sgeoil, géaga goile agas glaineóil.	Bring with thee my verse-book of noble classic Gaelic, that I may learn the roots of each tale, branches of valour and fair knowledge.
6.	Go ngabhainn fíorlaoidhthe feasa glainiuil na ccraobh ccoimhneasa, géaga gionalaidh gach fir, éachda iongantais is aisdir.	That I may recite learned lays of the clear knowledge of kindred stocks, each man's family tree, exploits of wonder and travel.
7.	Tabhair leat mo leabhar glaice d'airitmetig orduighthe, go ríomhainn reanna nimhe, is ca líon láithe ón dílinne.	Bring my handbook of ordered arithmetic, that I may number the stars of heaven, and how many days it is since the deluge.
8.	Ná déin dearmod don chraoibh chiuil deargchláruidh thirim thaighiuir uallanach bhogghothach bhinn is suanán codalta dh'intinn.	Forget not the musical branch, red-timbered, dry, tuneful, wailing, soft-voiced, sweet, a slumberous lullaby to the heart.
9.	Dáilidh damh an liric loinneach, eanghach éadtrochd ioghlannach niamhghreanta fadhairthe ar fod, téidleabhair tochailte tiomchol.	Grant me the gladsome lyre, loud, brilliant, passionate, polished, seasoned throughout, fine-stringed, engraved all round.
10.	An tan adchiú an chláirseach cheardach donnsgáileach mhór mhínleargach fa ghroidfheirg rithmhir mo mheoir do bhrosduigh mh'intinn d'aimhdheoin.	When I see the graceful harp, brown-shadowed, great, smooth-curved, under the rushing swift frenzy of my fingers, my heart is stirred.
11.	Gur sinniodh linn crithre corphort d'fírrinn mo mheór bhfrithirghrod, go tirim tiuighdhéantach trom sileach cruitmhéarach cothrom.	So that I have played sparkling melodies with the tips of my eager rapid fingers, with notes clean, closely linked, grave, nimble, hard-fingered, even.
12.	Tabhair mo lann go n-áille am dhorn daithgheal deasláimhe go ccuirinn treasfhaobhar teann ar a glantaobhaibh timcheall.	Place my beautiful blade in my fair right hand, that I may put a firm battle-edge upon its shining sides all round.
13.	Tabhair mo mhionn sgiamhdha sgine ghormfhaobhrach ghlan ghéirrinne go bhfaidhinn dlúiththilte a ttéid, díol a cumhdaighthe an coiméd.	Bring my beautiful jewel of a dagger, blue-edged, bright, sharp-pointed, with a sheath tightly corded— the case itself is worthy to contain it.
14.	Minic riam budh roait liom ficheall chorrfhleasgach chothrom, ag loidhe fan éagáir uithe, ag pléasgáil fhoirne orduighthe.	Often ere this have I taken great delight in a smooth-lined, even chessboard, pressing against the odds on it, scattering an ordered host.
15.	Ag cur dhísle ón ghrian go roile 'na rithing réim rodbhuinne fa mhíonnchlár thíthidh thslim fíoráluinn aoibhinn éadtroim.	Casting dice from sun to sun, in succession like the course of a rushing stream, on the chequered smooth polished board, lovely, pleasant, light.
16.	Iar tteachd um thimcheall dóibh seo cuirid foluamhain fúmsa, go siubhlaim re seal ngairid fad an talmhan tromfhóduidh.	When these days have come around me they make me to soar aloft, so that in a brief space I traverse the heavy-sodded world throughout.
17.	Móide is tugtha toil mar so don ghlanchuideachduin chaoimhseo nach déinid munbhar ar fhear éigion iomurcuidh ná aithfear.	The more should one love this fair and dear company, for that against no man do they use murmuring, arrogance or reproach.
18.	Aitchim a sídh, sléachduim dóibh, an bhuighean bheannaighthe bhláthchóir; gabhuim tar chách lem dheibhleán, nár fhágaibh mé am aonarán.	I beseech peace with them, I bow to them, the blessed smooth and comely band: above all I make a friend of my orphan, who has not left me all alone.

Osborn Bergin
Irish Bardic Poetry
Dolmen Press, 1970
No. 46

Return to the harp poem index.

Go to theIrish traditional music index page.

Go to the traditional music instruments index page.

Go to music encyclopedia directory

Go to The Standing Stones home page

Go to the Standing Stones Site Map (listing of the entire contents of this website)

Stonehenge border

STANDING STONES is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a federal service mark. Unauthorized use of this mark for performing live or recorded music, or providing music-related information over the Internet, in interstate commerce in the United States, is prohibited. For full details on the activities covered by this mark, consult the US Patent and Trademark Office database.