“Summer,” Translations from the Ninth Century

SUMMER TRANSLATED BY SEAMUS HEANEY Early summer, loveliest season, World is being coloured in. While daylight lasts on the horizon, Sudden, throaty blackbirds sing. The dusty-coloured cuckoo cuckoos. “Welcome, summer,” ’s what he says. Winter’s unimaginable. The wood’s a wicker-work of boughs. Summer, and the river’s shallow, Thirsty horses nose at pools. Heather spreads on bogland pillows. White bog-cotton droops in bloom. The deer’s heart skips a beat; he startles. The sea’s tide fills, it rests, it runs. Season of the drowsy ocean. Tufts of yellow-blossoming whins. Weak-kneed bees have gathered strength To carry in loads reaped from flowers. Mud wattles the hill-cattle’s flanks. Ant-swarms shine and feed for hours. “SUMMER,” TRANSLATIONS BY SEAMUS HEANEY 88 “SUMMER,” TRANSLATIONS BY SEAMUS HEANEY 89 The forest is a wind-thrummed harp. The tide fills now: now holds its breath. Hillsides are ablaze with colour. Heat haze veils the brimming lough. The corncrake crakes away, a bard True to his form; the cold mare’s tail Of a waterfall falls to the pool; Rushes rustle, lake is still. Swallows swerve and flicker up. Music starts behind the mountain. There’s moss, a lush growth underfoot. Spongy marshland glugs and stutters. Bogbanks shine like ravens’ wings. The cuckoo keeps on calling welcome. The speckled fish jumps; and the strong Warrior is up and running. Man’s in his prime; the maiden proud -ly budding into womanhood. The wood stands tall; there’s perfect calm In treetops, on the level plain. You’ve this mad urge to gallop horses; Excitement stirs in gathered crowds. Sun sends an arrow-shower of light Into the ground, turns gold to iris. A little, jumpy, chirpy fellow Hits the highest note there is; The lark sings out his clear tidings. Summer, shimmer, perfect days. “SUMMER,” TRANSLATIONS BY SEAMUS HEANEY 90 MAY-DAY* Anonymous, ninth century Cétemain, cain cucht, rée ro· saír rann; canait luin laíd láin día laí grían gaí ngann. Gairid cuí chrúaid den; is fo-chen sam saír: suidid síne serb i mbi cerb caill chraíb. Cerbaid sam súaill sruth; saigid graig lúath linn; lethaid fota fraích; for-beir folt fann finn. Fúapair sceith scell scíach; im-reith réid rían rith; cuirithir sál súan; tuigithir bláth bith. Berait beich (bec nert) bert bonn bochtai bláith; berid slabrai slíab: feraid saidbir sáith. Seinnid caille céol; con-greinn séol síd slán; síatair denn do dinn, dé do loch linn lán. Labraid tragna trén; canaid ess n-ard n-úag· fáilti do thoinn té; táinic lúachra lúad. *Reprinted from Early Irish Lyrics: Eighth to Twelfth Century, ed. Gerard Murphy (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1962 [1956]), 156–59. “SUMMER,” TRANSLATIONS BY SEAMUS HEANEY 91 Lengait fainnle fúas; im-said crúas cíuil cróich for-beir mes máeth méth; innisid loth loíth. Leig lath fath feig; fert ar-cain cuí chrúaid; cuirithir brecc bedc; is balc gedc láith lúaith. Losaid foirbríg fer; óg a mbúaid mbreg mbras; caín cach caille clár; caín cach mag már mas. Melldach rée rann: ro fáith gaíth garb gam; gel ros; toirthech tonn; oll síd; subach sam. Suidigthir íall én i n-íath i mbí ben; búirithir gort glas i mbí bras glas gel. Greit mer, imrim ech; im-sernar sreth slúaig; ro· sáer rath geilestar: ór eilestar úaid. Ecal aird fer fann; fedil fochain ucht; uisse ima-cain ‘Cétemain, cain cucht!’ ...