Mil dremm va bro
THE THOUSAND FACES OF MY COUNTRY
As many Brittanies as
Bretons
For each Breton his
Brittany.
His pocket Brittany.
Oh Brittany my Country! each
one sings,
From the Folklorist to the
Nationalist.
Yes, there are innumerable Brittanies.
It's useless trying to
count.
For him, Brittany is the sanctuaries.
For another it's the music
of the Biniou,8
Light folklore-stuff and
dances,
For another it's the great
stones of Carnac
The stone table at Seven
Saints, the menhir at Pergat.
For her it's the lace
coiffes
And the embroidered vests,
For another it's the pottery
of Quimper,
For this artist it's the
sculpted furniture,
For this teacher the books,
the records,
The national symbols,
--Paper Brittany!--
For this Poet it's the deep
paths, the heath,
The heather, the golden broom,
The forests singing, the sea rumbling.
For the economist the level
sluice-gates
The factories, the fishing boats,
The cauliflower and the ... strawberries!
And Brittany of the Druids?
And Brittany of the
Politicians?
My Brittany for me is not a
pocket Brittany.
My Brittany is one and
whole,
My Brittany is earth, sea
and sky,
My Brittany is Soul, body,
and Spirit
And the heart of my people...
My Brittany is her heroes of
yesterday,
Her heroes of today,
And heroes of tomorrow,
Immortal Brittany!
November 1969.
8 A type
of bagpipe.
