The HyperTexts

I am of Ireland (Anonymous Medieval Irish Lyric, circa 13th-14th century AD)
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

I am of Ireland,
and of the holy realm
of Ireland.

Gentlefolk, I pray thee:
for the sake of saintly charity,
come dance with me
in Ireland.

The original poem (below) still smacks of German, as the first line reads: "Ich am of Irlaunde." But a metamorphosis was clearly in progress: English poetry was evolving to employ meter and rhyme, in addition to Anglo-Saxon alliteration.

One might quibble with "realm" and "gentlefolk" in my translation. Here is a translation that is closer to the original, although perhaps not closer to the original poet's intentions:

I am of Ireland
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

I came of Ireland,
and of the holy land
of Ireland.

Good sir, I pray thee:
for the sake of holy charity,
come and dance with me
in Ireland.

Here is the original poem:

Icham of Irlonde (Original Version I)

Icham of Irlaunde
Ant of the holy londe
Of Irlaunde.

Gode sire, pray ich the,
For of saynte charite,
Come ant daunce wyt me
In Irlaunde.

Ich am of Irlonde (Original Version II)

Ich am of Irlonde,
Ant of the holy londe
Of Irlonde.

Goode sire, praye ich thee,
For of sainte charitee,
Com ant daunce wyt me
In Irlonde.

The request to join in a dance is interesting. And it's interesting to note that "ballad," "ballet" and "ball" all have the same root: the Latin ballare (to dance) and the Italian ballo/balleto (a dance). Think of a farm community assembling for a hoe-down, doing the two-step to music with lyrics. That is apparently how many early English poems originated. And the more regular meter of the evolving poems would suit music well.

William Butler Yeats, the great Irish poet, wrote a longer poem based on the elder poem's first line. His poem appeared in The Winding Stair and Other Poems, 1933.

Related Pages in Chronological Order: St. Patrick's Day Poems, Song of Amergin, Caedmon's Hymn, Bede's Death Song, Deor's Lament, Wulf and Eadwacer, The Wife's Lament, Anglo-Saxon Riddles and Kennings, How Long the Night, Ballads, Sumer is Icumen in, Fowles in the Frith, Ich am of Irlaunde, Tom O'Bedlam's Song, Now Goeth Sun Under Wood, Pity Mary, Sweet Rose of Virtue, Lament for the Makaris, This World's Joy


The HyperTexts