Welsh Melodies/Taliesin's Prophecy

by Felicia Hemans

For other versions of this work, see Taliesin's Prophecy.

12

TALIESIN’S PROPHECY.

[A prophecy of Taliesin relating to the ancient Britons is still extant, and has been strikingly verified. It is to the following effect:—

"Their God they shall worship,
Their language they shall retain.
Their land they shall lose,
Except wild Wales."]

A voice from time departed yet floats thy hills among,
O Cambria! thus thy prophet bard, thy Taliesin sung:
"The path of unborn ages is traced upon my soul,
The clouds which mantle things unseen away before me roll,
A light the depths revealing hath o'er my spirit pass'd,
A rushing sound from days to be swells fitful in the blast,
And tells me that for ever shall live the lofty tongue
To which the harp of Mona's woods by freedom's hand was strung.

"Green island of the mighty!^5[1] I see thine ancient race
Driven from their fathers' realm to make the rocks their dwelling-place!
I see from Uthyr's$^{6}$^[2] kingdom the sceptre pass away,
And many a line of bards and chiefs and princely men decay.
But long as Arvon's mountains shall lift their sovereign forms,
And wear the crown to which is given dominion o'er the storms,
So long, their empire sharing, shall live the lofty tongue
To which the harp of Mona's woods by freedom's hand was strung!"

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1. ⁵ Ynys y Cedeirn, or Isle of the Mighty—an ancient name given to Britain.
2. $^{6}$ Uthyr Pendragon, king of Britain, supposed to have been the father of Arthur.