Albain
Theastódh grá buan daingean chun léamh domhain
A dhéanamh ar leagan amach tíre,
Teacht ar thuiscint de réir a chéile ar scáthú fíneáilte,
An bhrí mhór laistiar de shiombailí leochaileacha,
Guth an chine a labhrann go bog a chlos fá dheoidh,
Cumraíocht is cuair ar chliathán deilbhe a fheiscint
Greanta i marmar na dúiche trí chéile,
Bí i d’Earrach, mar a bheadh lámh i bhfuinneog ann
Seanrudaí is rudaí Nua a bhogadh go cúramach thall is abhus,
Bog cuid de bhláth anseo
Leag orlach den aer ansiúd,
Is gan aon ní a bhriseadh.
Is mar sin a chnuasaíos chugam féin
Bloghanna uile na hAlban,
Agus trína n-ainmniú agus glacadh leo,
Gean a thabhairt dóibh agus mé féin a chomhshamhlú leo,
Thugas faoin iomlán a chur in iúl.
Scotland
It requires great love of it deeply to read
The configuration of a land,
Gradually grow conscious of fine shadings,
Of great meanings in slight symbols,
Hear at last the great voice that speaks softly,
See the swell and fall upon the flank
Of a statue carved out in a whole country’s marble,
Be like Spring, like a hand in a window
Moving New and Old things carefully to and fro,
Moving a fraction of flower here,
Placing an inch of air there,
And without breaking anything.
So I have gathered unto myself
All the loose ends of Scotland,
And by naming them and accepting them,
Loving them and identifying myself with them,
Attempt to express the whole.
