Over the next few week, I will be sharing some of my own poetry inspired by The Vita Merlini, written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the twelfth century. In this older Welsh version of the story, Merlin is a prince who experiences holy madness after witnessing the trauma of war. Driven into the wilderness by the horror of violence, he is transformed into a prophetic bard who rides an elk, prays to Christ, and knows the future.
Geoffrey’s epic poem is quite long. It includes substantial sections most modern readers would find uninteresting. However, it is also a treasure store of striking verse describing Merlin’s relationship with the forest he calls home. The text blends a wide range of sources and traditions. It is simultaneously inspired by indigenous Welsh spirituality, medieval Latin Christianity, and classical paganism.
Scholars unanimously agree Geoffrey’s tale is not the account of a real person. The Life of Merlin is sacred mythic storytelling. It’s truths are not found in its historicity but in the ways it speaks to the human condition. In a similar spirit, my poems follow the original fairly closely, though I add and omit verses with lots of artistic license . Click HERE to read a free modern English translation.
Prophecy and Pride
Come, sing a song of madness
and the prophetic bard.
Poems of laughter for Merlin,
philosophy’s sweet reward.
Merlin the Briton, king and sage,
is famous in the land.
He saw the future clear as day,
helped others understand.
To chiefs and kings gave sage advice,
and laws to break the pride
of the people of the South Welsh,
though he preferred to hide
in the forest by the rivers
and did not sleep inside.
Although his wisdom is renowned,
Merlin was full of pride.
The Trauma of War
Peredur of the North Welsh
waged war upon the Scots.
A battle bloody, long, and hard
where Merlin stood in shock.
He dropped his shield, his sword fell limp,
his heart wrought with despair.
Collapsed upon his knees and wept,
cried out this painful prayer:
“How can God’s will be so cruel
to take from me such friends?
Warriors who instill great fear
still fall like other men.
Mortality is always near,
O death I feel your sting!
My enemies approach me now,
their swords are rushing in.”
As Merlin wept, he beat the ground,
the soil red with blood.
He looked around. On every side
were bodies soaked in mud.
The battle over, Merlin’s friends
dragged him back to town,
where he lamented three whole days
with strange and awful sounds.
He could not eat or drink or sleep,
although he was not bruised.
His mind was broken by the thought –
how could so many lose?
Wisdom of the Bard
Suddenly, a frenzy seized him
and so he snuck away
into the forest, dark and deep,
where he preferred to stay.
He hid this way for many moons,
a friend of plants and stones.
Devoted to the woods, he lived
on grass and fruits, alone.
A hermit in a wild place,
his mind began to change –
forgetful of the human race
and all his inner pain.
In awe and wonder, he drew near
the soil, stars, and springs.
Adopted by the birds and deer
who laugh and chase and sing.
Rejoicing in the old ash grove,
he loved the wild beasts,
from whom he learned to praise the sun
each morning facing east.
There is a liturgy reserved
for those with eyes that see,
where Nature’s children worship life
in perfect harmony.
Merlin assumed the priestly role,
his deacons were the bees.
Flocks of songbirds formed the choir,
perched high up in the trees.
Each dawn and dusk the whole wood came
to join this ancient song
the morning stars together sing
along with heaven’s throng.
Beyond the stars, Merlin discerned
the music of the spheres –
a melody of wisdom which
is heard with inner ears.
If you enjoyed this poem, keep your eye out for the rest of what I have written the next two Sundays. I still have a long ways to go before it is finished. How much time I focus on it moving forward will likely depend on how these poems are received. So, if you want to hear the rest of Merlin’s story after this series, please be sure to let me know! If you would like to contribute financially to my ongoing work, click HERE for our donation page.