Welsh Lyrics of the Nineteenth Century

This collection opens a window onto the poetic heart of nineteenth‑century Wales, gathering a dozen voices that once rang out in eisteddfod halls and cottages of the valleys. The translator has sought to keep the rhythm and spirit of the original Welsh while shaping the verses into singable English, allowing listeners to hear the melancholy of a fisherman's wife, the bright call of a nightingale, and the solemn pride of a mountain burial. Themes shift from reverent nature sketches of Tintern Abbey and rolling hills to intimate reflections on love, loss, and the everyday labor of shepherds and weavers.

Introduced with a dedication and preface, the work acknowledges the difficulty of rendering Welsh meter into English rhyme, sometimes opting for sonnets or free verse where strict patterns would hinder meaning. The selections are grouped under familiar Welsh poets, each offering a glimpse of their flavor—whether the lyrical yearning of Alun, the devotional tone of Ieuan, or the patriotic fire of Ceinion. Listeners are invited to travel the coastlines and pastures of Wales through voice, discovering a chorus that resonates today.