[Poékwot] The Island is a town (Myles Campbell)

Ann an dòigh 's e a th' ann am Muile,
ann am baile tha na treubhan measgte.
'S e baile th'ann le sluagh sgapte
mar a tha an saoghal a' fàs gu bhith na bhaile,
na seann luachan, treubh is cinneadh,
a seargadh ann an saoghal gnìomhachais, teicnigeach.

Chunnaic mi dà chloich nan seasamh na aonar   0  0
chaidh lianag fhàgail dhaibh anns a' choille ghiuthais,
clachan 's dòcha a thogadh nuair a bha a' ghealach naomh,
iad nan seasamhmar dà phrionnsa, no prionnsa 's a ghràdh,
nan clachan-cuimhne do shìol rìoghail.
Treubh a chaidh à bith.


Chunnaic mi clach eile  0  Dòmhnall Moireasdan, Àird Tunna,
ceithir fichead 's a còig deug, is 'inntinn geur mar sgithinn,
làn de sheanchas is bàrdachd a threubha,
colbh sgairteil de Chlann na h-Oidhche,
agus timcheall air am baile a' fàs –
baile nach tuig e – luachan do-ruigsinn dha chèile.

Tha am prionnsa na chloich anns a' choille,
agus treubh ùr air a thigtinn.
Chan eil rìgh nam measg a dhearbhas
a threòir.
Is tuath iad le cridheachan pàipeir;
pàtaranan faoine a' losgadh.

Cha dèan na mnathan gaoir tuilleadh, is an t-eilean na bhaile.

An t-Eilean na Bhaile, Maoilios Caimbeul,

In a sense Mull is a town
in a town the tribes are mingled
It's a town of dispersed people
as the world grows to be a town,
the old values, tribe and kin
withering in an industrial, technological world.

I saw two stones standing alone   0  0
a lawn was left for them in the pine wood,
stones perhaps raised when the Moon was holy
standing like two princes, or a prince and his love,
memorial stones to a seed royal.
An extinct tribe.

I saw another stone  0  Donald Morrison, Ardtun,
ninety-five years of age, mind sharp as a knife,
full of history and poetry of his tribe,
stalwart column of the children of the Night,
and round him the town was growing
a town that does not understand him > values that cannot be bridged

The prince is a stone in the wood,
and a new tribe has arrived.
There isn't a king among them to prove
his valour.
They are a peasantry of paper hearts;
empty patterns burning.

The woman will lament no more. The island is a town.

The Island is a town, Myles Campbell.