THE GOLDEN KEY

I know of a castle
Built deep in the woods
In whose tower are hidden
The loveliest of treasures.

The door has remained locked
The golden key lost
It was thrown in to the sea
By ignorant people…

With a foreign key
They tried to open it
Still it remained locked
The golden key must be found…

The treasure, genius of the race
Poetry and literature
Will be hidden forever
If the key is lost.

Fearless and daring
Celts Plunged into the sea
Found the beautiful key
To open the door to the treasure.

And all of Brittany’s treasures
Are spread out in the castle
With the golden key of language
From the door of the tower.

June 1964.

Translated by Lenora Timm

This poem in breton