The Lovely Wars

Me and my sister, Sweeno Saunders, were raised bi-lingual (Welsh and Cornish) and it wasn’t until I was about five that I started to learn English.. it’s still quite the mystery to me, evidently. However, since then, I’ve been trying in all sorts of ways to figure out how best to express myself whilst feeling like a jack of all languages and master of none. On top of that, an overwhelming sense of guilt knowing that two of my three languages, and one in particular, are fighting to survive.. largely down to the third (damn you Normans and Saxons!) I have it, I shall write tri-lingual poems that no one will understand, that should sort it! Hmm… so here it is, my first Cornish-Welsh-English Poem.

 Ow Three Iaith (My Three Languages)

Give rhyddid, rho freedom a dewis i’m choice

Ny wonn vy pa daves to use as my voice

Go galed, rhwystredig, i ddewis un ferf

Tair iaith mor gyfarwydd, cynghanedd i’r gerdd.

Such cyfoeth mewn geirfa, ow yeth is my own

What use is a geirfa I siarad alone?

My gows, very nebes, but given the chance

Fy nghalon will neidio, ow thaves will dance.

Ani Saunders