Daffodil

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • 313 reads
15 comments
 

[this poem is based on/inspired by/semi-translation of a Welsh poem by I D Hooson (1880-1948)]

I saw you in a garden neat
(when chill the edge to March's wind);
and now in April's breeze turned sweet,
in greening fields and meadows find
your sturdy green and golden gaze
dancing in the wind and rain,
as if a hidden piper plays
stirring your joy again, again.

I saw you in a poor cot,
and also in a rich man's home –
in crystal vase, in earthen pot –
in both so still, your dance had gone;
a touch of sadness, longing trace
as if the memory of what's lost,
a yearning leaves upon your face
to be out there by weather tossed.

 

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Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

This has got to be one of my favourite poems by you Rhiannon. It spoke to me of cooler days in all this heat.

It was such a pleasure to read, and one I'll come back too many times.

Thank you for sharing.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. Yes, it is refreshing to think of the time, temperature and delight of the return of the daffodils isn't it?

I was reading the little clever Welsh poem, and enjoyed trying to convey something of it in  English. I don't think you can do an exact translation poetically into a different language, you could try to state a prose translation but losing the poetic structure you lose something of the impact of the words. So, I just tried to convey something of his message in a poetic form. Inferior to the original of course! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Nolan on

How is your weather Rhiannon? sunny and shade? Time for a picnic! watch out for Teddy Bears!

Keep well & Nolan

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

We're actuallly experiencing rather extreme heat at the moment again! So, more a case of staying indoors mostly. Your winters never get really cold do they? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Nolan on

In Pretoria we rarely have any extremes in weather, cool summers, mild winters. Summer evenings are famous they are very pleasant, peaceful and tranquil. On the Highveld it can get very cold. This winter has not been too bad so far.

Toward the north of Tswane here the weather never is very cold they don't even ever have frost it's almost subtropical they grow bananas and avocodas etc. Meaning then the Moot valley and just on the other side of the hill, of the Magalies mountain.

There are places in South Africa that can get very hot, or very cold, can range from -10 to 40s celsius. The last year or so parts of the country have had terrible floods, deluge, worse than ever.

The most pleasant climates might be as Cape Town or the Kruger Park depending on the season.

Towards the East Coast there is usually mild and pleasant weather.

All the best & Nolan

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

That's interesting. Thank you. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

A lovely poem. I imagine the original would sound well in its native language.

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thank you. Yes, that's the challenge, conveying his ideas and theme, but wanting to have at least some similarity of poetic polish and impact to support the theme! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Beautiful, Rhiannon. You are so clever to fit the original meaning into new words, and still have rhyme, I don't know how translators manage this, but you have, here, so well. I love "stirring your joy again, again"

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Di. I don't aim for a total translation as I don't think one could do that and keep a sense of the poetic impact given to the words, but enjoyed trying to convey something I'd enjoyed from it! Rhiannnon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank youf for the cherries. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by hilary west on

A really sweet poem, Rhiannon. I think you have thought about it a lot and it reads so well. A perfect gem !!!

Hilary     cool

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

lovely to hear from you, Hilary, and thank you! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

"...a yearning leaves upon your face
to be out there by weather tossed."

What a beautiful poem and very much written in a classical way.

So skilfully done, Rhiannon. I enjoyed this one, in particular. 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you very much, Paul. Glad you enjoyed. Much owed to the original, of course, in content and style, but I enjoyed the challenge and making the original known. Rhiannon