Brecon Bridge
.
Brecon, built at the confluence of the rivers Honddhu and Usk, has hence its native
name Aberhonddhu (pronounced
Aberhonndy). Llewelyn, the last independent Prince
of the Welsh, was killed in Breconshire.
Low to himself beneath the sun,
While soft his dusky waters run
With ripple calm as infant’s breath,
An ancient song Usk murmureth
By the bridge of Aberhonddhu.
’Tis not of deeds of old, the song,
Llewelyn’s fate, or Gwalia’s wrong :
But how, while we have each our day
And then are not, he runs for aye.
He sees the baby dip its feet
Within his limpid waters sweet :
And hears when youth and passion speak
What smites with fire the maiden’s cheek :—
Then, manhood’s colours tamed to gray,
With his fair child the father gay :
And then Old Age who creeps to view
The stream his feet in boyhood knew.
From days before the iron cry
Of Roman legions rent the sky,
Since man with wolf held savage strife,
Usk sees the flow and ebb of life.
As mimic whirlpools on his face
Orb after orb, each other chase,
And gleam and intersect and die,
Our little circles eddy by.
But those fair waters run for aye,
While to himself, Where’er they stray,
All footsteps lead at last to Death,
His ancient song, Usk murmureth
By the bridge of Aberhonddhu.
F. T. Palgrave
.