Celtic Stencil Design A—“Soft Hair the Color of Amber”

CELTIC STENCILS Celtic Stencils by Co Spinhoven on a Microsite by Granite Bay Graphic Design  GBD MICROSITE

“…soft hair the color of amber…”

ANCIENT CELTIC POETRY*

I mbrat an bhrollaigh ghil-se

ní bhiadh an dealg droighin-se

dá mbeith, a Mhór bhéildearg bhinn,

an éindealg d’ór i nÉirinn.

San mbrat-sa níor chóir do chur

acht dealg d’fhionndruine uasal,

nó dealg iongantach d’ór cheard,

a Mhór bhionnfhoclach bhéildearg.

A fholt lag ar lí an ómra,

a chur id bhrat bhreacórdha

a stuaigh chobhsaidh nár chealg fear,

nior chosmhail dealg don droighean.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

In a cloak, that bright breast of yours–

it should not be the blackthorn brooch;

for you it is, sweet redmouthed Mór,

the one brooch of gold in Éire.

In your cloak, the proper equipment is

only a brooch of noble finndruinna

or a wondrous brooch made of gold,

sweetworded redmouthed Mór.

Oh, soft hair the color of amber,

oh, furrow in the dapplegold cloak,

oh, resolute arch which may never betray a man,

a brooch of blackthorn is not fitting.

Celtic Stencil by Co Spinhoven on Granite Bay Graphic Design

An excerpt from a longer poem. Stencils are rendered by Dutch artist Co Sinhoven and are his modern interpretation of “The Book of Kells.” All of this artwork is in the public domain. Learn more about the artist here.