THE LAMENT OF LLYWARCH HEN [LLYWARCH HEN, or Llywarch the Aged, a celebrated bard and THE bright hours return, and the blue sky is ringing Why smile the waste flowers, my sad footsteps surrounding? My sons! they but clothe the green turf of your grave! Alone on the rocks of the stranger I linger, When youth's glorious flower is gone down to the dead! THE GREEN ISLES OF OCEAN 237 Fair were ye, my sons! and all kingly your bearing, I turn from heaven's light, for it smiles on your grave.6 THE GREEN ISLES OF OCEAN 7 WHERE are they, those green fairy islands, reposing In sunlight and beauty on ocean's calm breast? What spirit, the things which are hidden disclosing, Shall point the bright way to their dwellings of rest? Oh lovely they rose on the dreams of past ages: Where are they, the high-minded children of glory, Perchance they repose where the summer-breeze gathers From the flowers of each vale immortality's breath; But their steps shall be ne'er on the hills of their fathers, For the guide to those realms of the blessed is death. GRUFYDD'S FEAST ["GRUFYDD AB RHYS AB TEWDWR, having resisted the English successfully in the time of Stephen, and at last obtained from them an honourable peace, made a great feast at his palace in Ystrad Tywi to celebrate this event. To this feast, which was continued for forty days, he invited all who would come in peace from Gwynedd, Powys, the Deheubarth, Glamorgan, and the marches. Against the appointed time he prepared all kinds of delicious viands and liquors, with every entertainment of vocal and instrumental song; thus patronising the poets and musicians. He encouraged, too, all sorts of representations and manly games, and afterwards sent away all those who had excelled in them with honourable gifts."— Cambrian Biography.] LET the yellow mead shine for the sons of the brave, Let the horn whose loud blast gave the signal for fight, * The horn was used for two purposes-to sound the alarm in war, and drink the mead at feasts. THE CAMBRIAN IN AMERICA 239 And wake ye the children of song from their dreams, themes, And pour the bright mead: let the wine-cup foam high, That those may rejoice who have feared not to die! THE CAMBRIAN IN AMERICA. WHEN the last flush of eve is dying On boundless lakes afar that shine; Still of thy harps, thy mountains dreaming, Alone o'er green savannahs roving, Where some broad stream in silence flows, Sweet land, whence memory ne'er hath parted! *Pembrokeshire. The aromatic odour of the pine has frequently been mentioned by travellers. TALIESIN'S PROPHECY [A PROPHECY of Taliesin relating to the ancient Britons is still extant, and has been strikingly verified. It is to the following effect: "Their God they shall worship, Except wild Wales."] A VOICE from time departed yet floats thy hills among, roll, A light the depths revealing hath o'er my spirit passed, A rushing sound from days to be swells fitful in the blast, And tells me that for ever shall live the lofty tongue To which the harp of Mona's woods by freedom's hand was strung. "Green island of the mighty! * I see thine ancient race Driven from their fathers' realm to make the rocks their dwelling-place! I see from Uthyr's + kingdom the sceptre pass away, And many a line of bards and chiefs and princely men decay. * Ynys y Cedeirn, or Isle of the Mighty-an ancient name given to Britain. Uthyr Pendragon, King of Britain, supposed to have been the father of Arthur. |