Over the high hills of Wales stride, stride,
Straddle them, giant-wise,
Under gigantic skies,
Strong-legged, bridge the wide
Grass-lush valleys of a paradise.

To the breast-round mountains cling, cling,
Red tipped at sunrise
Under reddening skies,
Deep with passion, nipple-dark, to bring
Fire, desire
For the grass-lush valleys of paradise.

The pure, grass-lush valleys of paradise,
Penetrate, penetrate, and, with dark fire, create,
Deep to the depths of desire, and giant-wise,
Under the reddened and gigantic skies,
With the high hills, breast-round and passionate,
Mate.....

 


Namur King

(1915-68)

***

Wales is literally the “Land of my Fathers". My dad, who was born in Blackwood, near Pontllanfraith, taught me the word Hiraeth when I was a kid.

Hiraeth is a Welsh word, tricky to translate with accuracy. It has an intensely emotional, felt quality, difficult to convey. In terms of meaning, it has connotations of homesickness & nostalgia, an earnest longing or desire, or a sense of regret. It has been described as homesickness for a home you cannot return to, or that maybe never was; it conveys nostalgia and yearning and grief for lost places.

This is the best that the Oxford English Dictionary, (Third Edition, June 2020), where it is a new entry, can do:
 

"Hiraeth, n

Originally and chiefly in the context of Wales and Welsh culture: deep longing for a person or thing which is absent or lost; yearning; nostalgia; spec. homesickness."


When my dad wrote it, he had been living away from his birthplace, for over two decades. It's clear his beloved homeland was still present in his heart.

Click pic?

 more by my father:

Remembrance Day

Aberfan

Brick Horizons

Today Has Never Been Before

"Goldie" escapes

Namur King (hub page with photos etc)

***

Other related internal links:

Celtic

Travel

Location

Homeless

Home as I will ever be

Love/ Sex

Whales!

Contents

Home

A-Z

 

 

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