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Up here in Nova Scotia we have been blessed in certain regions with a dying language - Gaelic.

Now, if you have ever heard Gaelic you will know it has a rhythm and beauty of its own...a hard/soft poetry of sorts.

Today as we face yet another winter storm I thought I would share.


Chi mi'n geamhradh as a ghaoith
Chan eil an sneachd fada bhuinn

"I see winter in the wind.
The snow is not far from us."

Thanks, Mary,

it does have a lyrical quality to it. Have you ever read THE 21 LESSONS OF MERLIN? If I remember correctly the author recites old verses and spells in Gaelic.

Do you speak Gaelic? How about a verse for SPRING coming (we're facing an ice storm tonite, but maybe we can send the storm WAY north!)

Jackie

Jackie, I never learned to speak Gaelic, my father spoke it but not fluently. You have to hear it to appreciate it....like so many languages, the written word loses something when it hits the page.

There is a popular group from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia - The Rankin Family - they have a song - a lullaby that they perform in Gaelic and it doesn't matter that you can't understand the words - you get the feeling simply from the pronounciation. It is a pity that such a beautiful language is slowly dying. I guess it is a sign of the times...many of the traditions in this area are lost to time.

I haven't read the book you refer to but I'll hunt around and see what I can find.

In the meantime, I'll see what I can do to score some verses for spring.

Not quite spring-related but I'm working on it.

Theid seoltachd thar spionnadh.

Cunning(cleverness,smarts) will defeat physical strength.

Pronounced "Haech shoal'tach har spee'ona"

How martial-arts appropriate! Thanks, Mary,

Jackie