Géibheann

Is é an chodarsnacht idir an tsaoirse agus an daoirse príomhthéama an dáin seo.

The contrast between freedom and oppression is the main theme of this poem.

Scríobh Caitlín Maude an dán seo nuair a bhí ailse aicí agus is meafar é. Mhothaigh sí nach raibh saoirse aicí nuair a bhí sí tinn.

"Caitlín Maude wrote this poem when she had cancer, and it is a metaphor. She felt she did not have freedom when she was ill.

Úsáideann sí íomhá an leoin chun an téama seo a chur ós ár gcomhair ‘Ainmhí mé/ainmhí allta’. Ag tús an dáin, tá a lán saoirse ag an leon. Bhí sé ina chónaí saor sna tropaicí.

She uses the image of the lion to present this theme to us 'I am an animal/a wild animal'. At the beginning of the poem, the lion has a lot of freedom. It lived freely in the tropics.

Bhí an leon bródúil as a chuid áilleachta agus a chuid chumhachta agus bíonn ‘crainnte na coille’ ag crith nuair atá sé ag búiríl. Bhí an t-ainmhí fiáin agus bhí a shaoirse agus a neamhspléachas aige.

The lion was proud of its beauty and power, and the 'trees of the forest' trembled when it roared. The animal was wild and had its freedom and independence.

Sa dara leath den dán, áfach, feicimid go bhfuil an leon i ngéibheann agus faoi smacht i gcás sa zú, ‘ach anois/luím síos’. Tá spiorad an leoin caillte agus tá sé in ísle brí.

In the second half of the poem, however, we see that the lion is imprisoned and controlled in a cage in the zoo, 'but now/I lie down'. The lion's spirit is lost, and it is in a state of depression.

Luíonn sé síos ag breathnú amach trí shúil amháin ar chrann amháin atá le feiceáil óna phríosún.

He lies down, looking out through one eye at a single tree that is visible from his prison.

Feictear éadóchas an fhile anseo nuair a deir sí go ndéanfadh na cuairteoirí aon rud ach céard ba mhaith leis– a shaoirse a thabhairt dó.

The poet's despair is evident here when she says that visitors would do anything except what he wants most – to give him his freedom.

Tuigimid ón meafar seo go bhfuil an file ag caint linn faoin easpa saoirse a mhothaíonn sí ina saol féin agus gur mhothaigh sí ar nós ainmhí i ngéibheann leis an ngalar ailse.

From this metaphor, we understand that the poet is talking to us about the lack of freedom she feels in her own life and that she felt like an animal in captivity due to her cancer illness.

Is dán an-éifeachtach agus cumhachtach é mar sin.

It is therefore a very effective and powerful poem.

Rugadh Caitlín Maude i gCasla, Conamara sa bhliain 1941.

The [poet] was born in [location] on the [date]

Fuair sí bás sa bhliain 1982

she died in [date]

Foilsíodh cnuasach filíochta dá cuid Caitlín Maude: Dánta i 1984

she published her poetry collection [name] in [year]