Welsh Journals

A MOUNTAIN SEER HEDD Wyn, a Merionethshire shepherd, killed in his twenty-ninth year, will rank with the finest of the young idealists of all countries sacrificed in the cause of modern materialism. Shortly after his death, his ode to The Hero was, with high praise, adjudged best in the chair competition at the Birkenhead National Eisteddfod. His death secured his name immediate recognition. A memorial committee was formed at Trawsfynydd, his native place, and the present volume is due to the activities of that committee. In the introduction to the volume, his editor remarks that his opportunities were few and his world restricted. His education, no doubt, was mostly due to himself, but he had attained a remarkable degree of culture, and his world indeed was very far from being narrow. With the Greek language, he was probably unacquainted, like Keats, but again like Keats, the Greek spirit was certainly his, and reading his poems, one realises that, with opportunity, no attainment in the world of mind would have been impossible to this man. This* is a selection of his poems, presumably made by the Editor. The poems are divided into three sections, viz., Eisteddfodic poems, poems to the author's native place and friends, and poems on the War. The division is perhaps natural, but it is to be regretted that the Eistedd- fodic poems have not been given in chronological order, or at least dated. It would also have been more in agree- ment with the author's mentality if the poems grouped under the title of The War had been included in some other way, not involving any apparent recognition of the fever of the moment. The poem entitled Wedi'r Frwydr bears every evidence of having been written before the outbreak of the European madness-the strife of which it speaks is mostly that of the intellect, and its tone is that of a spirit, equal to any struggle, but smitten by no fever of hate or destruction. In fact, of these supposed war poems, there are only a few which speak directly of the War. and the author was certainly under no illusion as to what he was being made to die for, as repeatedly shown in the poems, particularly in Y Blotyn Du," where earth is described as a black spot in the midst of God's glory, and Rhyfel," in which the poet says :­- Gwae fi fy myw mewn oes mor ddreng, A Duw ar drai ar orwel pell O'i ol mae dyn, yn deym a gwreng, Yn codi ei awdurdod hell. Pan deimlodd fyned ymaith Dduw Cyfododd gledd i ladd ei frawd Mae swn yr ymladd ar ein clyw, A'i gysgod ar fythynod tlawd." The poems selected, with perhaps one or two minor exceptions among the occasional pieces, are worthy of a place in the volume. It is undoubtedly quite exceptional that the poet's competitive pieces are his best. Through- out them is traceable the thought which attained its fullest expression in the poem awarded the chair prize at Birken- head. Not without deep and fervid emotion, he is yet a Cerddi 'r Bugail." Cyfrol Goffa Hedd Wyn. Dan olygiaeth y Parch. J. J. Williams. 1918. (Caerdydd: William Lewis Argraffwyr, Cyf.). Pp. xvi. 160. Portrait. Illustrations. Paper boards, cloth backed. 3s. 6d. net. poet of the intellect, and his one theme is really the destiny of man. Over and over again, his poems show that he was particularly susceptible to the beauty of nature, yet is it a fact that he has hardly a single developed description of a natural scene in these poems. He has seen a beauty beyond that of visible things, he will suffer for it and die for it, but will never forget or deny it. His faith is a fine frenzy, but his defence of it is intellectual and clear, even when most passionate. This is the Greek quality in him. One would have liked to trace the growth of his vision and conviction, but it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to deter- mine from their contents the order of these poems, and the author's progress is hardly indicated by improvement in technique, for the contents of this volume displays a well nigh equal attainment throughout. To an age which assumes that a man can only be educated at school or college, the literary attainment of Hedd Wyn must be wonderful-how could a mere shepherd have acquired what is supposed to be an academic privilege He possesses an extensive vocabulary, a mastery of language and a sense of style and idiom. Criticism-where found- would have something to say of his faults, it is true-the repeated use of certain words and expressions (like oed," cymun, calendr," § £ c), and of spurious forms (like "cyhudd," heulwennau," &c.), approaches mannerism, the grammar occasionally shows unaccountable weaknesses even in the latest poem there are some unexpected lapses, and some of the work is demonstrably imitative. But one feels that these things hardly deserve mention, even in criticism. In spite of them, Hedd Wyn is a sure master of words. His verse has a peculiar quality of rhythm which shows originality and daring, based as it is upon natural expression, and not upon the necessities of a stress that never existed in the living language. Yet, what is most wonderful in him is his thought. His poetry exhibits what Rosetti called fundamental brain-work It is not a mere patchwork of pretty conceits, read with ease and without attention. In all the longer poems. and particularly in Cyfrinach Duw," Myfi yw," Ceisio gloewach nen," Fy Ngwynfa Goll," and Yr Arwr," he is not only conscious of, but also content with, the struggle of life; it is to him the process of the coming of something which will be permanent and beautiful and good. Ac odid, 0 angeu, y gweli fy ngwisgoedd Yfory ar lannau wylofus y IIi Ond gwybydd, bydd ysbryd ymhell ar y moroedd, Dan hwyliau aflonydd yn ceisio ei nefoedd, Ac ni bydd nac amur na gwae ynddi hi." Deffrobani," Afallon," "Valhalla," "Eldorado," Nirvana." these terms symbolize for him this final victory, and his faith in its coming is unconquerable. In Cyfrinach Duw," he replies to the old man who tells him that nothing will come of his dreams Pe chwythai y corwynt fi'n fil o ddamau Fel niwl trwy gangau y deri a'r yw, Ni phallai fy ffydd, na sain fy nghaniadau, Cans gwn na'm chwythid tuallan i ffiniau Y bwriad sy fyth yng nghyfrinach Duw."