Something seasonal and Welsh

I wrote this poem several years ago for the Colorado Welsh Society's Christmas celebration...

A December Song

Daw llewyrch lleu o dywyllwch mawr;
’n ôl noson hiraf daw y wawr.
From great dark will come bright light,
and dawn will follow the longest night.

Here we stand in the darkest month
before the turn of the year,
between the joy of returning light
and the night-time’s ancient fear,

in the dark month, in the Black Month,
at a time both bitter and sweet –
and both of these days should remembered be
wherever Welsh folk meet.

For twice a thousand years gone by
in the east a star burned bright,
and all our gifting on Christmas Day
recalls the Gift of that night.

Light out of darkness to light the world
and Joy out of sorrow came,
and still we meet to praise and pray
in Jesus’ holy name.

But bright and joyous though this month be,
old losses linger long –
so pray for Wales on Christmas Day
when you lift your hearts in song.

For seven hundred years gone by
in bitter days and sore,
last Prince of Wales, Llywelyn fell –
and the English won that war.

And many a man and woman wept,
and many a heart did break
in that December’s bitter dark
in the snows of winter bleak.

The wind and the rain so loudly roared,
the oak trees bowed in storm –
remember those days as here you sit
in your houses safe and warm.

But though in December’s dark he died,
Llywelyn died still free,
and while his people yet abide
some remember that liberty.

And remember here at the turn of the year
both the darkness and the light,
and labor on that a new dawn
may come from unending night.

And so on Christmas morning bright
as to church you blithely go,
pause for a moment and say a prayer
for Llywelyn in the snow.

And pray as well for those who fell
all down the course of the years,
fighting for Wales, for which they gave
body and blood – and tears.

And pray that the Language of Heaven may thrive
and gain all her own land back,
and not go down into scholarly dust,
lost in a library stack.

And as you gather now in this month
and your joyous carols sing,
remember December long ago
when Wales lost her earthly king.

As light out of darkness came before
in the light of the eastern star,
so let us pray for the dawn of Wales
as we look back from afar.

From great dark will come bright light,
and dawn will follow the longest night.
Daw llewyrch lleu o dywyllwch mawr;
’n ôl noson hiraf daw y wawr.

-GRG