Saunders Lewis, “Prayer at the End” (Gweddi’ ’r Terfyn): A Translation and a Commentary

Abstract

AbstractHaving spent my professional career in England I am more familiar with English poetry than with Welsh and so one of my great pleasures now is reading Welsh poetry. A book I have read and re-read more than once is The Poems of Saunders Lewis. There the poem that has gripped me and still does is this great poem. Apparently, it received much attention when it was published - three articles by D. Z. Phillips with a reply and a note by the poet commenting on the background influences. Without returning to that, I want to note the importance of the influence. Simple though the language may be, the poem is full of philosophical and theological ideas together with a keen awareness of Biblical study.