Below is my first poem as Official Poet in Residence at the
Hayseed Dixie Loopallu Down From The Hills Festival.
Along with the poem that inspired it.
At both Loopallu’s, so far, I performed these two poems. A pibroch is both a piper and a particularly complex bagpipe tune, but Scott’s poem is based on a march tune. For over a year I tried to find a piper to play the march after my reading. I think all publicly read poetry should have something besides poems if it lasts more than about 5 minutes; also, I never heard the tune; until today (26th September 2006). There is a new link below the poem to the march (the old link was to a pibroach). Now I have heard it I have a completely different way of performing both poems. My own first reaction is that Scott’s poem sounds more powerful without a 6/8 march beat; and mine sounds much better with one.
The only Gaelic I had is from quotes in books, but I did my best to learn to say them with credit; or at least the most credit you could expect from a man who takes to other languages like cats take to being given a bath. However, after doing an assembly at Ullapool Primary School I have had help from Miss Mary Rose MacNeil, the Deputy Head and leader of the Gaelic section.
A rough version of my second Loopallu poem is now on site.
PIBROCH of Donald Dhu
By: Sir Walter Scott
'This is a very ancient pibroch belonging to Clan MacDonald, and supposed to refer to the expedition of Donald Balloch, who in 1431, launched from the Isles with a considerable force, invaded Lochaber, and at Inverlochy defeated and put to flight the Earls of Mar and Caithness, though at the head of an army superior to his own.' Sir Walter Scott
Pibroch of Donuil Dhu means; Piper of Black Donald
PIBROCH of Donuil Dhu,
Pibroch of Donuil,
Wake thy wild voice anew,
Summon Clan Conuil.
Come away, come away,
Hark to the summons!
Come in your war-array,
Gentles and commons.
Come from deep glen, and
From mountain so rocky;
The war-pipe and pennon
Are at Inverlocky.
Come every hill-plaid, and
True heart that wears one;
Come every steel blade, and
Strong hand that bears one.
Leave untended the herd,
The flock without shelter;
Leave the corpse uninterr'd,
The bride at the altar;
Leave the deer, leave the steer,
Leave nets and barges:
Come with your fighting gear,
Broadswords and targes.
Come as the winds come when
Forests are rended,
Come as the waves come when
Navies are stranded:
Faster come, faster come,
Faster and faster,
Chief, vassal, page, and groom,
Tenant and master.
Fast they come, fast they come—
See how they gather!
Wide waves the eagle plume
Blended with heather.
Cast your plaids, draw your blades,
Forward each man set!
Pibroch of Donuil Dhu,
Knell for the onset!
Written in 1816.
Visit this bagpipe site for the tune this was based on, and follow their links for more on Scott and Pibrochs.
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CEÒL BEAG from hearts true
By: Glyn Watkins
Ceòl beag means 'small music'. The music of the dance and for the dinking; as opposed to the complex and deep Ceòl mór, or great music of the classical tradition of Scottish pipe music.As a very rough guide to pronounciation say kwell bict.
Sonas means happiness, as a toast to the future, but I have replaced it with joy in the last line.
CEÒL BEAG of hearts so true
Ceòl Berg from true heart
Spring thrusts our life anew
Calls fresh to each part
Come away, come away
Hark to what's bringing
Come in your bright array
Come join with the singing
Come from the glen sides and
From cities of small room
To where music takes best pride
By the floors of the Loched Broom
Come every player and
Piper whose reeds hum
Come every steel sting and
Tuned hand that strums one
Leave unfinished the tax form
Your debts without shelter
Break free from your dead norm
Shake free from the halter
Put your self round a beer
Raise a voice without fetter
May fine spirit be near
And the talk to the better
Come as the pipes play
When proud tunes are rendered
Come as the tunes come
When players are banded
Faster play, faster play
With sweet singing and strumming
Of love, fights, drink and doom
Of the leaving and coming
Fast they come, fast they come
See how they gather
Wide waves the music
Blended with heather
Join the jam, clasp your dram
Tuned up each one set
Join Ceòl Beag and life anew
Sing joy for the onset
©Glyn Watkins, 2005
Written in the Boltmakers Arms, Keighley, between 4 and 5 o'clock on Sat 10th Sept; though I'd been mulling over the poem since the 28th July.
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