For too long now have we been oppressed
Our ancient languages suppressed
To most folk now, it’s mystery
A proud nation confined to history
But we’re all still here, just hidden
Our religions, ideas, our freedom
Forbidden!
The emperor brought the rule of Rome
His armies took away our home
Four hundred years, his regal fist
Even warrior Celts could not resist
don’t get me wrong, we fought the fight
Queen Boudicca showed her might
With all our strength, we tried and tried
But those who fought, were those who died
The survivors brainwashed ‘til the armies left
And like all good slaves, we cried, bereft
Through the dark ages we tried to rebuild,
But with imperialistic ideas now, we were filled
Time moved on, the armies gone
And with them went our native tongue
(Latin mixed with Celtic Tones; Christian crosses on native stones)
Our neighbours though, they stayed strong
Irish, Welsh, Scottish, marching on
But we sat waiting, stupefied
For too long now we had relied
On rulers sent down from upon high
Defeated forever, that’s no lie
So we sat and we waited, our regeneration we anticipated
But soon, from overseas did come
A new, longer lasting invasion
Many kings, but all related
The weak they found, and eliminated
The Sons of Arthur tried to rise
Against attack from all sides
But Saxon armies were too strong
The East, forever, soon was gone
The seven kingdoms were created
Although each other, they all hated
Four hundred years more of bloody war
Was all that history now had in store, for us
They killed, they fought, slaves sold, slaves bought
Until King Egbert got support
The strength of Wessex grew and grew
And other kingdoms he overthrew
Then the desperate people all did sing
Praises to the first ‘English’ king
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem