JOHN ORMOND

The Hall of Cynddylan

(After the Welsh of Llywarch Hên:

                  9th century)

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,

No fire and no bed.

I weep alone, cannot be comforted.

Cynddylan's hall is allin dark tonight,

No fire, no candle flame:

Whose love, but love of God, can keep me sane?

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,

No fire, no gleam of light.

Grief for Cynddylan leaves me desolate.

Cynddylan's hall, its roof is charred and dark,

Such sparkling company sheltered here.

Woe betide him whose whole lot is despair.

Cynddylan's hall, the face of beauty fallen,

He's in his grave who yesterday stood tall.

With him alive no stone fell from the wall.

Cynddylan's hall, forsaken then to-night,

So snatched from his possession.

Death take me so and show me some compassion.

Cynddylan's hall, no safety here tonight,

On HHytwyth's high expanse

No lord, no soldiery, no defence.

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,

No fire and no music.

My tears carve out their ravage on my cheeks.

Cynddylan's hall is dark tonight,

No fire, the company's all gone.

My tears tumble down upon its ruin.

Cynddylan's hall, to see it pierces me,

No fire, roof opens to the sky:

My lord is dead and here, alive, am I.

Cynddylan's hall, burned to the very ground,

After such comradeship,

Elfan, Cynddylan, Caeawc, all asleep.

Cynddylan's hall, anguish is here to-night.

Once it was held in honour:

Dead are the men and girls who kept it so.

Cynddylan's hall too much to bear to-night,

Its chieftain lost, O

Merciful God, what can I do?

Cynddylan's hall, the roof is charred and dark

Because the Englishry wreaked havoc on

The pasture-land of Elfan and Cynddylan.

Cynddylan's hall is dark to-night,

I mourn Cyndrwynyn's line,

Cynon, Gwiawn and Gwyn.

Cynddylan's hall, my open wound,

After the bustle, all the mirth

I knew upon this hearth.