Géibheann - Aiste

This poem is about powerlessness, freedom and captivity. The theme of the poem is the importance of freedom and the impact that captivity has on humans or animals

Baineann an dán seo le heaspa cumhacht, le saoirse agus daoirse. Is í tábhacht na saoirse téama an dáin agus an tionchar a bhíonn ag an daoirse ar a díne nó ar an ainmhí

But then we are given a picture of the same animal and him in captivity in a zoo, full of despair and depressed.

Ach ansin tugtar pictiúr dúinn den ainmhí céanna agus é i dteanntaithe i zú, lán le éadóchas agus in ísle brí

In contrast to the kind of life he once had before, now he is not free and under control in the zoo

I gcodarsnacht leis an gcineál saoil a bhí aige tráth, anois níl sé saor agus é faoi smacht sa zú

He spends his time lying down without spirit, without dignity, broken and without courage.

Caitheann sé a chuid ama ina luí gan spiorad, gan dínit, briste agus gan misneach

He doesn’t even bother to open his two eyes

Ní bhacan sé fiú lena dhá shúil a oscailt

Instead of a forest he only has one tree

In ionad foraoise níl aige ach crann amháin

He doesn’t scare anyone anymore

Ní chuireann sé eagla ar éinne a thuilleadh

On another level, I think the lion is a symbol for the poet’s life

Ar leibhéal eile, ceapaim gur siombail é an leon do shaol an fhile

It’s possible that the poet is telling us that she feels that she herself is in captivity, she is restricted in life without the freedom she would like to have

Seans go bhfuil an file ag rá linn go mothaíonn sí go bhfuil sí féin i ngéibheann, go bhfuil sí srianta sa saol gan an tsaoirse ba mhaith léi a fháil

In the first half we feel the animals pride in himself

Sa chéad leath mothaímid an bród a bhí ag an ainmhí as féin

The animal is very lonely and sad in the second half

Tá uaigneas agus brón mór ar an ainmhí sa dara leath

There is a lack of respect for the animal

Tá easpa measa air mar ainmhí

People come visiting him everyday but that’s all

Tagann daoine ar chuairt chuige chuile lá ach sin an méid

This adds to the sadness he feels

Cuireann sé seo leis an mbrón a mhothaíonn sé