meg bateman

i've always liked aotromachd but i was surprised to a find a cheeky echo in her translation of anna nic ealair's poem....

Aotromachd

B’ e d’aotromachd a rinn mo thàladh,
aotromachd do chainnte ‘s do ghàire,
aotromachd do lethchinn nam làmhan,
d’aotrmachd lurach ùr mhàlda:
agus ‘s e aotromachd do phòige
a tha a’ cur trasg air mo bheòil-sa,
is ‘s e aotromachd do ghlaic mum chuairt-sa
a leigas seachad leis an t-sruth mi



Lightness

It was your lightness that drew me,
the lightness of your talk and your laughter,
the lightness of your cheek in my hands,
your sweet gentle modest lightness:
and it is the lightness of your kiss
that is starving my mouth,
and the lightness of your embrace
that will let me go adrift.


Anna Nic Ealair’s Song

It was in the wretched poor stall
that I first came to know you;
and I took you to my mother’s house
where for a while I nursed you

It was your love, my love,
it was your love that drew me,
it was your love, my dear,
that awoke me in the morning.

You’re like the shade of a great rock
in a troubled land where I walk in sadness;
when I looked to you for help
you desired my encapture.

You gave me your love
in the juniper’s shadow,
and the company of your regard
in the garden of apples.

Sweeter to me your love than wine,
even wine at its strongest;
when you showed me you r esteem
it made my body falter.

You gave me of your love
until it overwhelmed me
and I had to call out
‘Friend stop your caresses.’

You have risen up with haste
from the grave, victorious;
likewise will your host awake,
triumphant in the morning.

And you went up to a place on high
to prepare my soul a lodging,
and you say you’ll come back again
to bring about your promise.

Anna Nic Ealair (fl c 1800)

trans meg bateman