IADH-SHLATH

Iadh-Shlath

by Anne Frater
(Gaelic/Galician/English)

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Iadh-shlat

Bha i air searg, gun teagamh:
an iadh-shlat aig bun a’ ghàrraidh
a bha uair cho pailt agus cho brèagha;
ach bha meuran caola fhathast oirre
air an tigeadh blàth as t-samhradh
le beagan cùraim.
Thàinig na gàirnealairean.
Thuirt iad gum b’ urrainn dhaibh a sàbhaladh.
Gheàrr iad slatan,
thug iad leotha iad
agus phòs iad iad ri
iùbhraichean
daraich
seilich
gus am fàsadh craobhan ùra:
ged nach bitheadh na sìtheanan cho brèagha
no am fàileadh cho cùbhraidh.
Agus thuirt iad iadh-shlat ris.

Ach tha an iadh-shlat agamsa
fhathast aig bun a ghàrraidh
’s i a’ searg.

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Chuchamel

Murchara, certamente
o chuchamel do fondo do xardín
que fora unha vez tan mesto e tan fermoso;
mais aínda había pólas delgadas
que agromaban no estío
cun pouco coidado.
Viñeron as xardineiras.
Dixeron que poderían salvalo.
Cortaron as gamallas
apartáronas
e encanáronas con
teixo
carballo
salgueiro
para que novas árboroes medraran:
aínda que non serían
tan fermosas nin recendentes
as súas flores.

E chamáronlle chuchamel.

Mais ou meu chuchamel
está aínda no fondo do xardín
murchando.

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Honeysuckle

It had withered, certainly:
the honeysuckle at the bottom of the garden
that was once so plentiful
and so beautiful;
but there were still slender branches
which bloomed in summer
with a little care.
The gardeners came.
They said they could save it.
They cut off branches,
took them away
and spliced them with
yew
oak
willow
so that new trees would grow:
although the flowers
would not be as beautiful
or as fragrant.
And they called it honeysuckle.

But my honeysuckle
is still at the bottom of the garden
and withering.