A Breton poem

[dhampyresa]

Since it's apparently poetry time, have a poem in Breton! It's Anjela Duval's Karantez-Vro. You can listen to it here. (I based the English translation more on a French translation than on the Breton itself.)

Karantez-vro I E korn va c’halon zo ur gleizenn ’Baoe va yaouankiz he dougan Rak siwazh, an hini a garen Na gare ket ’r pezh a garan Eñ na gare nemet ar c’hêrioù Ar morioù bras, ar Broioù pell Ha me ne garan ’met ar maezioù Maezioù ken kaer va Breizh-Izel ! II Ret ’voe dibab ’tre div garantez Karantez-vro, karantez den D’am bro am eus gouestlet va buhez Ha lez’t da vont ’n hini ’garen Biskoazh abaoe n’am eus en gwelet Biskoazh klevet keloù outañ Ur gleizhenn em c’halon zo chomet Pa ’gare ket ’r pezh a garan. III Pep den a dle heuilh e Donkadur Honnezh eo lezenn ar Bed-mañ Gwasket ’voe va c’halon a-dra-sur Pa ’gare ket ’r pezh a garan Dezhañ pinvidigezh, enorioù Din-me paourentez ha dispriz Met ’drokfen ket evit teñzorioù Va Bro, va Yezh ha va Frankiz !

Love of the country I In an angle of my heart there is a scar, It has been there since my youth Because, alas, the one I loved Did not love what I love. He liked only cities, Deep seas and farway lands; And I liked only the countrysides, The beautiful countrysides of my Lower Brittany. II I had to choose between two loves, The love of the country, and the love of a man; To my country I offered my life, And let my beloved go Since then I never saw him again, Never heard of him gain - The scar is left in my heart, He didn't love what I love. III Each one of us must follow their Fate It is the law in this world. Yes my heart was wounded, But he did not love what I love. To him, wealth and honors To me, poverty and contempt. But I would not trade for any treasure, My country, my language and my freedom.

Comments

[yhlee]

The translation is very beautiful.

As a sound based reader it is driving me slightly nuts (my problem, not yours!) That I have no idea how the language is pronounced.

[muccamukk]

That's a gorgeous poem/song. I know the feeling.

[hokuton_punch]

That is really lovely. ♥

[watersword]

This is really interesting! Do you know if Duval's work is available in translation?

[hamletta]

What a beautiful song! Thank you for revealing it to me.

As I listen to it sung, the language has the melody of French, but written it seems to have something of Dutch in it, even though I don't recognise any words.

[china_shop]

This is such a beautiful poem -- thanks for posting it. I actually had a go at translating it into Korean, just to see if I could. :-)