The Gaelic Poetry Nook will present poetry both in English and Gaelic.

Tha thu air aigeann m' inntinn You are at the bottom of my mind
Gun fhios dhomh tha thu air aigeann m' inntinn
mar fhear-tadhail grunnd na mara
Ie chlogaid 's a dhà shùil mhóir,
's chan aithne dhomh ceart t* fhiamh no do dhòigh
an déidh cóig bliadhna shiantan
time dortadh eadar mise 's tù

beanntan bùirn gun ainm a' dòrtadh
eadar mise gad shiaodadh air bòr
's t* fhiamh 's do dhòighean 'nam làmhan fann.
Chaidh thu air chall
am measg lusan dìomhair a' ghrunna
anns an leth-sholas uaine gun ghràdh,

's chan éirich thu chaoidh air bhàrr cuain
a-chaoidh 's mo làmhan a* slaodadh gun sgur,
's chan aithne dhomh do shiighe idir,
thus' ann an leth-sholas do shuain
a' tathaich aigeann na mara gun tàmh
's mise slaodadh 's a' slaodadh air uachdar

Iain Mac a' Ghobhainn (1928-98)
Without my knowing it you are at the bottom of my mind
like a visitor to the bottom of the sea
with his helmet and his two large eyes,
and I do not rightly know your appearance or your manner
after five years of showers
of time pouring between me and you:

nameless mountains of water pouring
between me hauling you on board
and your appearance and manner in my weak hands.
You went astray
among the mysterious plants of the sea-bed
in the green half-light without love,

and you will never rise to the surface
though my hands are hauling ceaselessly,
and I do not know your way at all,
you in the half-light of your sleep
haunting the bed of the sea without ceasing
and I hauling and hauling on the surface.

Iain Crichton Smith (Bayble, Point, Lewis)

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