© 1998 Nicholas Williams
Pùb gwir gwethys / All rights reserved
An bardhonak-ma a veu comendys yn frâs in Esedhvos Kernow 1998
This poem was highly commended at Esedhvos Kernow 1998
Clyckya obma ha goslowes / Click here to listen
Text an bardhonak / Text of the poem
Egery in dyw several fenester rag gweles an text ha goslowes i’n kettermyn
Open in two separate windows to see the text and listen at the same time
Yma Gerva orth pedn dewetha an bardhonak.
There is a glossary at the end of the poem.
OT i’n nans ahës an hens
sentry sans, corlan kerens
(diogel argel an lÿs)
’ter parwysy paradhys.
Ny’s any bleydh, brogh na ky;
’ma peys ha powes inhy.
Teg awel i’n tyller taw —
gwann gwyns ha’n gwÿdh yw glânsaw.
BÙSH ha prenn orth penn bloodh Crist
gwedhrys yns ha gwedhowdrist.
An air yw lymm, lomm an barr,
’ma piasen heb kespar.
Keser cales, glÿbor glaw
a goodh hag ergh hag erghlaw.
Rewys mars yw tew ha tynn,
gwrewgh slyppya sley wàr slynklyn.
Clehy cales camm ny blêk
dhe’n alargh (ÿdhnyk ewlek).
In dann orny dor kyn fo
(ass yw yêyn an dreyn adro!)
blejen ergh yw serth a’y sav,
dager gwerghgàn i’n gwynnwâv.
“Ogas gwaynten — gwell dha jer”
yw negys tegen Genver.
HIRDER heudh ha hedh i’n jëdh
Cala’ Whevrel y talleth.
Gwynn ow bÿs prÿs pell i’n plâss:
gwallow dyflas gwâv gallas.
Blejyow gwyns — gwayans alês —
yw leurlen wynn ’dann wedhenskeus.
Wheg an cooskenyn a wheth
sawor sawya, onyon-eth.
Mir arayes in unn rew
afodylys delyslyw —
dauncyoresow owrys yns,
crena cris in corolwyns.
Melenster in glesyn glas
yw lenter losow lagas
ha’n gog a gan clergân (clêw!)
i’n berlan in hy blejyow.
CALA’ MÊ cuv pàn dheu,
garth yw lowarth lowena.
Gans dauns tyckly tycky Duw
a sped dre wernek spernlyw.
Mes a’n gwels gryll gwyls a gry
dhe’n fonek fin ha’n fynny.
Bÿdh golvanas, gelvyn brâs
melwhes ha whyl ow whelas.
Flourys in dann howl ahës
a lenow lawns a lanwes:—
bayol, banal, barv an hôk,
lûcys, lywles ha laylock,
cala gwely, caja vrâs,
manek rudh, melyon, myllas,
gwygbysen, gwenynles, gwèg,
menta, minfel ha menkek,
malow, molen, mùllyon gwynn,
gelvyn garan ha glysyn,
tormentyl ha torr-men ter,
jasmyn jolyf, jylofer.
’Ma moronyon heudh in hons
ow plethy gansa garlons
hag ot gwenyn (gwana tynn),
ow mela — creun in crîben —
awhesyth pàn whyb dhe’n Tas
in nevow glas golohas.
WOSA tesy helder hâv
y kefyr kevoth kynnyaf.
Glebyer blew kefnys gans glûth
wàr brysklowyth boragweyth.
Lies yns, per, merys, mor,
avallow (athves ascor),
eyryn morel (greun a vry)
lus, avan sùgan, syvy;
poos pùb prenn gans castan crèn
ha keres (cor gà crohen).
Cùntell collgnow y coodh dhis
may fowns nos Ollsens sensys.
Tecka wel an wedhen lew
pàn drailyr lyw hy dêlyow —
melen gell gwynyol i’n gwig,
bÿdh gellrudh an gellywyk.
Scav yth omwhel del dhe’n dor,
y codhons dhywar nothscorr.
Goodh conna cul (costen gonn)
a neyj gans uj a-uhon.
Gwren cunyssa kyns ès gwâv
dhe sêsya sêson kynnyaf.
NY GEFYS bysqweth i’n bÿs
le moy fusyk, fortynnys
ès jardyn. Jorna joy veu
may whrug Duw den delînya
hag i’n moyha plêsont plâss,
in gardhen ges y’n gorras.
Pàn dheu gwâv (govy!) dhe’m gyew
ha my in anken ancow,
an enef inof, tan ev
i’th lowarth, Arlùth ardhnev,
ha’m purha pegh pura gwra
in gordhyans dha gerensa.
GERVA
Glossary
Definitions have generally been confined to those relevant for the poem. To keep the glossary to a manageable length the listing excludes the most common words. These are best looked up in Gerlyver Kescows – A Cornish Dictionary for Conversation (Ian Jackson, Agan Tavas 2017). A draft of the Second Edition of Gerlyver Kescows is available on the Vocabulary page of skeulantavas.com. If you need grammar, by far the most helpful book is Desky Kernowek (Nicholas Williams, Evertype 2012). Bear in mind that some of the vocabulary is poetical.
a vry phr of account
alargh m elergh swan
ancow m death
ardhnev m high heaven
argel f argelow sequestered place
awhesyth m awhesydhas lark
banal col broom
barr col twigs
barv an hôk f hawksbeard
bayol m elecampane
blejen f blejyow bloom
blejen ergh f snowdrop
blejen gwyns f anemone
boragweyth adv one morning
bysqweth adv = bythqweth
caja vrâs f ox-eye daisy
cala gwely col bedstraw
Cala’ Whevrel m first of February
càn adj pure-white
castan col = kesten
clehy m ice
cog f = cùcû
collgnow col hazelnuts
cooskenyn col wild garlic
corolwyns m dancing breeze
crèn adj round
creun m gathering, reserve
crîben f crîbennow honeycomb
cris m verve, vigour
cunyssa v gather firewood
dager m dagrow tear; drop
’dann2 prep = in dann2
dauncyores f dauncyoresow female dancer, ballerina
delys- pref worthy
eth m êthow odour
ewlek adj hungry
eyryn col sloes
fonek f fonegow hayfield
fortynnys adj propitious
fynny f bent grass
garlons pl = garlontow
gardhen f enclosed garden
garth m & f gardhow enclosed garden
gelvyn m gelvynas bill, beak
gelvyn garan m cranesbill
glysyn col cornflowers
golohas m worship
gordhyans m worship
gryll m gryllas cricket
gwall m gwallow wall
gwayans m movement
gwèg m bindweed
gwenynles m balm
gwergh adj virgin
gwernek f gwernegow alder grove
gwig f gwigow wood, grove
gwygbës col gwygbysen chickpea
gwynyol col maples
gyew col sinews
hedh (hedhes) m reach
helder m liberality, generosity
heudh adj joyful
in hons (in hans) phr beyond, yonder
jasmyn m jasmine
jylofer m carnation, pink
kellywyk f kellywygow wood, grove
kevoth m power, wealth
lanwes m abundance
lawn m lawns lawn
laylock m lilac
lenter adj shining, gleaming
lomm adj bare
lûcys col garden iris
lus col bilberries
lÿs f lÿsyow court, hall
lywles m dyer’s rocket
’ma verb = yma
malow col mallows
manek rudh f foxglove
mela v gather honey
menkek m heather, ling
melyon col pansies, violets
merys m medlar
minfel m milfoil
molen m mullein
mor col mulberries
morel adj glossy black
moren f moronyon maid, girl
myll f myllas field poppy
nans m nansow valley
nos Ollsens f Halloween
orny m chilliness
owra v gild
parwys m parwysy wall
perlan f perlannow pear orchard
peys m peace
pias col piasen magpies
plêkya v please
prenn m prennyer tree
prysklowyth col shrubs
pura v cleanse
sentry m glebe-land
spern col thorn (plant)
ter adj eager
’ter prep = inter
tesy v warm in the sun
tormentyl m tormentil
torr men m saxifrage
whybya v trill
ÿdhnyk m ydhnygow cygnet (here)