Dán do Niall, 7

Mo thrua nach mairfidh tú go deo

i dtír na nead, Tír na nÓg,

tír mhíorúiltí faoi chlocha

tír sheangán:

tír na dtaibhsí dearga, tír fholláin.

Mas, tá an saol ag feitheamh leat

le foighne sionnaigh ag faire cearc:

cearca bana d’aigne úire –

scata fiáin

ag scríobadh go sonasach i bpáirc.

Más é an grá captain do chroí

bíse teann ach fós bí caoin:

ainmhí álainn é an sionnach rua

ach tá fiacla aige atá gan trua.

Seachain é, ach ná goin:

bí sonasach ach bí righin.

Beadsa ann d’ainneoin an bháis,

mar labhraíonn dúch is labrraíonn pár:

Beidh me ann in am an bhróin,

in am an phósta, am an cheoil:

Beidh mé ann is tú i d’fhear óg –

ólfad pórtar leatsa fós.

Poem for Niall, 7                                          

 A pity you’ll not always be

In Bird-Nest country, Tír na nÓg,

land of miracles under stones,

red-phantom land, a safe place.

For world waits for you,

patient fox watching hens:

white chicks of your fresh mind –

a white flock

scratching in a happy field.

If love commands your heart

Temper strength with gentleness:

A lovely dog the red fox is

but his teeth are pitiless.

Avoid him, do not harm him:

be happy but be tough.

I will be there in spite of death

for ink speaks and paper speaks:

I will be there in the sorrowful times

When music plays at wedding feast.

I will be there as you grow older –

And some day I’ll buy you porter!

 Note: This poem to his son, Niall, first appeared in Michael Hartnett’s first collection in Irish, Adharca Broic, which was published in 1978 by Peter Fallon’s Gallery Press.     It was published again in the 1987 collection, A Necklace of Wrens, this time with an English translation.