Taliesin’s song

Taliesin’s Song

(Damh the Bard)

Taliesin was/is such an inspiration of mine, especially when I first began to explore the Path of the Bard. I imagined sitting in the old King’s moot hall, as the Great Bard stepped in, shook his Silver Branch, and began to tell his stories.

I was in the court of kings,
I saw great halls and countless gems,
T’was where I heard Taliesin sing,
Of the love of women
and the deeds of men.
The Awen’s light filled his eyes,
A fire burned within his head,
As he sang of times long past and cried,
For Merlin, Arthur and Galahad.

(Chorus)
Manwydden, Cerridwen,
The Old Ones let us sing to them,
Arianrhod, Bran and Bel.
Blodeuwedd, Cealleach,
The Old Gods they are coming back.
Listen people to the tales I tell.

I have been a crashing wave,
A stallion across the sea,
And I have been a rutting stag,
And I hold Albion’s destiny.
The Cauldron deep in Annwn’s mist,
With Blackthorn staff I travelled there,
And Arthur whom fate did kiss,
The Seven Castles we did dare!

I have seen the plants and trees,
Great Oak the Ash and sacred Thorn,
Bring Annwn’s Host to its knees,
And suffer mighty Gwydion’s scorn.
But still the fight could not be won,
Until they guessed the giant’s name,
Ravens and Alder on his shield,
“By the branch you bare, Bran is your name!”