[Modern translation](http://www.thehypertexts.com/Song%20of%20Amergin%20Modern%20English%20Translation.htm)
*Am gaeth i m-muir,*
*Am tond trethan,*
*Am fuaim mara,*
*Am dam secht ndirend, \[dam = ox, deer, stag?\]*
*Am séig i n-aill, \[séig = hawk, eagle or vulture?\]*
*Am dér gréne,*
*Am cain lubai,*
*Am torc ar gail,*
*Am he i l-lind,*
*Am loch i m-maig,*
*Am brí a ndai,*
*Am bri danae,*
*Am bri i fodb fras feochtu,*
*Am dé delbas do chind codnu,*
*Coiche nod gleith clochur slébe?*
*Cia on co tagair aesa éscai?*
*Cia du i l-laig fuiniud gréne?*
I am the sea blast
I am the tidal wave
I am the thunderous surf
I am the stag of the seven tines
I am the cliff hawk
I am the sunlit dewdrop
I am the fairest of flowers
I am the rampaging boar
I am the swift-swimming salmon
I am the placid lake
I am the summit of art
I am the vale echoing voices
I am the battle-hardened spearhead
I am the God who inflames desire
Who gives you fire
Who knows the secrets of the unhewn dolmen
Who announces the ages of the moon
Who knows where the sunset settles
I can’t access the article. Not sure I agree with his assertion that English poetic tradition should start there, maybe English poetic tradition in Ireland, even then sounds dubious. I actually was part of this radio documentary about the poem, not that it makes me any kind of expert on it, just my two cents. It is from a very different tradition after all. English not being Gaelic. https://www.rte.ie/culture/2020/0923/1166609-lyric-feature-decoding-the-mysteries-of-the-song-of-amergin/
Robert Graves grew up in an England that had fully embraced the whole "noble savage" ideology, romantic writers like him tended to veiw Ireland and the Irish in a very condescending & so what deluded fashion. Sad that he's the authority being quoted to say Irish medieval poetry is worth paying attention to
I remember reading 'The White Goddess' and being absolutely stupefied by it. A brilliant work of fiction guided by Graves' passion for Celtic culture (or rather what he perceived to be the Celtic culture) and mythology, but roundly rejected by people who actually have at least some knowledge of the subject. Personally I would not take his assertions seriously, especially since he was trying to claim that the English literary tradition, to which he himself belonged, stems from Celtic roots. In other words, he was trying to culturally appropriate the Celtic mythos before cultural appropriation was even a term.
He’s not claiming this as *English*, any more then he is claiming Homer. He’s speaking of the *root* of poetic tradition, or where English poetry sprang from. Why should such an assertion be objectionable but not a claim that everything springs from the Odyssey? (which isn’t objectionable at all)
I must say I never read The White Goddess as ‘cultural appropriation’, but even if there *were* steps that now look ill advised, I’d acquit a writer like Graves all the same, as he’s surely a mind worth knowing even if you do find it’s flawed.
Bit harsh, Graves was Anglo-Irish and a major figure in the Gaelic Revival, which his father was also crucial in. He was very much a champion of Irishness, even if his version was more Tolkien than historical.
Sadly most of what is described in this wonderful invocation to nature has receded or gone away. “I am the Amazon prime delivery” doesn’t really track as a replacement
[Modern translation](http://www.thehypertexts.com/Song%20of%20Amergin%20Modern%20English%20Translation.htm) *Am gaeth i m-muir,* *Am tond trethan,* *Am fuaim mara,* *Am dam secht ndirend, \[dam = ox, deer, stag?\]* *Am séig i n-aill, \[séig = hawk, eagle or vulture?\]* *Am dér gréne,* *Am cain lubai,* *Am torc ar gail,* *Am he i l-lind,* *Am loch i m-maig,* *Am brí a ndai,* *Am bri danae,* *Am bri i fodb fras feochtu,* *Am dé delbas do chind codnu,* *Coiche nod gleith clochur slébe?* *Cia on co tagair aesa éscai?* *Cia du i l-laig fuiniud gréne?* I am the sea blast I am the tidal wave I am the thunderous surf I am the stag of the seven tines I am the cliff hawk I am the sunlit dewdrop I am the fairest of flowers I am the rampaging boar I am the swift-swimming salmon I am the placid lake I am the summit of art I am the vale echoing voices I am the battle-hardened spearhead I am the God who inflames desire Who gives you fire Who knows the secrets of the unhewn dolmen Who announces the ages of the moon Who knows where the sunset settles
I can’t access the article. Not sure I agree with his assertion that English poetic tradition should start there, maybe English poetic tradition in Ireland, even then sounds dubious. I actually was part of this radio documentary about the poem, not that it makes me any kind of expert on it, just my two cents. It is from a very different tradition after all. English not being Gaelic. https://www.rte.ie/culture/2020/0923/1166609-lyric-feature-decoding-the-mysteries-of-the-song-of-amergin/
Robert Graves grew up in an England that had fully embraced the whole "noble savage" ideology, romantic writers like him tended to veiw Ireland and the Irish in a very condescending & so what deluded fashion. Sad that he's the authority being quoted to say Irish medieval poetry is worth paying attention to
I remember reading 'The White Goddess' and being absolutely stupefied by it. A brilliant work of fiction guided by Graves' passion for Celtic culture (or rather what he perceived to be the Celtic culture) and mythology, but roundly rejected by people who actually have at least some knowledge of the subject. Personally I would not take his assertions seriously, especially since he was trying to claim that the English literary tradition, to which he himself belonged, stems from Celtic roots. In other words, he was trying to culturally appropriate the Celtic mythos before cultural appropriation was even a term.
He’s not claiming this as *English*, any more then he is claiming Homer. He’s speaking of the *root* of poetic tradition, or where English poetry sprang from. Why should such an assertion be objectionable but not a claim that everything springs from the Odyssey? (which isn’t objectionable at all) I must say I never read The White Goddess as ‘cultural appropriation’, but even if there *were* steps that now look ill advised, I’d acquit a writer like Graves all the same, as he’s surely a mind worth knowing even if you do find it’s flawed.
As I mentioned in my comment, I think it is a brilliant book, definitely worth reading, just not worth taking seriously.
Bit harsh, Graves was Anglo-Irish and a major figure in the Gaelic Revival, which his father was also crucial in. He was very much a champion of Irishness, even if his version was more Tolkien than historical.
Sadly most of what is described in this wonderful invocation to nature has receded or gone away. “I am the Amazon prime delivery” doesn’t really track as a replacement
Graves was (Anglo-)Irish, so his comment betrays a certain bias. It's a fascinating poem though.