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An Crann — The Tree
By Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill (NOO-la Nee GO-nal), Ireland’s foremost present-day poet writing in Irish, was born in 1952 in Lacashire. In 1957, her parents returned to Ireland — to the Dingle Gaeltacht in Kerry,
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There came this bright young thing
with a Black & Decker
and cut down my quince-tree.
I stood with my mouth hanging open
while one by one
she trimmed off the branches.
Another version:
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Do thЁўinig bean an leasa
le Black & Decker
do ghearr sЁЄ anuas mo chrann.
D’fhanas im Ё®inseach ag fЁ¦achaint uirthi
faid a bhearraigh sЁЄ na brainsЁЄ
ceann ar cheann.
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The fairy woman came
with a Black and Decker
She cut down my tree.
I watched her like a fool
cut the branches one by one.
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Do thЁўinig bean an leasa
le Black & Decker
do ghearr sЁЄ anuas mo chrann.
D’fhanas im Ё®inseach ag fЁ¦achaint uirthi
faid a bhearraigh sЁЄ na brainsЁЄ
ceann ar cheann.
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(1) From «The Tree,» a translation of «An Crann,»
by Paul Muldoon in Pharoah’s Daughter
(2) Selected Poems: Rogha DЁўnta,
translated by Michael Hartnett.
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