Llywelyn Goch

Llewelyn Goch’s best-known poem is his lament on the death of

Lleucu Llwyd, wife to Dafydd Ddu of Cymer. 

Nid oes yng Ngwynedd heddiw

na lloer, na llewych, na liw,

er pan rodded, trwydded trwch

dan lawr dygn dyn loer degwch.

Y ferch wen o’r dderw brennol,

arfaeth ddig yw’r fau i’th ol.

Cain ei llun, cannwyll WNynedd,

cyd bych o fewn caead bedd,

f’enaid, cyfod i fyny,

egor y ddacarddor ddu,

gwrthod wely tywod hir

a gwrtheb f’wyneb, feinir.

Mae yma hoewdra hydraul

uwch dy fedd, huanwedd haul,

Wr prudd ei wyneb hebod,

Llywelyn Goch, cloch dy glod;

udfardd yn rhodio adfyd

ydwyf, gweinidog nwyf gwyd.

There is in Gwynedd today

neither moon, nor light, nor colour,

since was put, unlucky passing,

under hard earth the moon’s beauty.

O girl in your oak chest,

a bitter destiny is mine without you.

Fine of form, candle of Gwynedd,

since you are closed within the grave,

my soul, bestir yourself,

open the black earth-door,

refuse the long bed of gravel

and rise to meet me, maiden.

There is here a brief brightness

above your grave, the shining sun,

and a sad-faced man who lacks you,

Llywelyn Goch, bell of your praise.

A wailing poet in adversity

am I, serving the strength of passion.

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Quoted in An Introduction to Welsh Poetry Gwyn Williams 1953