A Grafted Tongue
| Teanga
Nódaithe |
(Dumb,
bloodied, the severed
head now chokes to
speak another tongue -
| (Balbh,
fuliteach, tachtann
anois
an ceann scoite, teanga
eile a labhairt
|
As in
a long suppressed dream,
some stuttering garb-
led ordeal of my own)
| Mar i
mbrionglóid fada celite
oirdéal éigin snagaireacht
leathbhreallach díom féin)
|
An lrish
child weeps at school
repeatng its English.
After each mistake
| Goileann
páiste Gaelach ar scoil
ag rá arís a chuid
Béarla.
i ndiaidh gach botún
|
The master
gouges another mark
on the tally stick
hung about its neck
|
Gúistíonn
An Máistir marc eile
ar an mbata scóir
snaidhmthe timpeall a mhuineál
|
Like a bell
on a cow, a hobble
on a straying goat,
To slur and stumble
|
Ar nós clog
ar an mbó, nó laincis
ar an bpoc bhradach.
A sciorradh is a thuisleach
|
In shame
the altered syllables
Of your own name:
to stray sadly home
| Gan céim
na siollai aistrithe
de d'ainm féin.
A fhán go brónach
abhaile
|
And find
the turf-cured width
of your parents' hearth
growing slowly alien:
| Agus fáil
an leithead móinleasaithe
de do thinteán féin
ag éirí go mall eachtrann:
|
in cabin
and field, they still
speak the old tongue.
You may greet no one.
| i mbothán
is gort, labhraítear
an sean-teanga fós
Ní fhéadfaidh tú
beannú d'éinne.
|
To grow
a second tongue, as
harsh a humiliaton
as twice to be born.
| Ag fás
dara teanga
náire chomh garbh
agus faoi dhó a bheith
beirthe.
|
Decades later
that child's grandchild's
speech stumbles over lost
syllables of an old order.
|
Cianta ina dhiaidh
tuislíonn teangacha
chlann clainne an pháiste sin
thar siollaí chaillte an
shean-nós.
|
| By John Montague | Le John
Montague |
| |
(Aistriúchán le
Tomás
hÉadromáin)
|
