Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
England: Vols. I–IV. 1876–79.

Wales: Rivers of Wales

Rivers of Wales

By Michael Drayton (1563–1631)

From “Poly-Olbion”

AND as each one is praised for her peculiar things,

So only she is rich in mountains, meres, and springs,

And holds herself as great in her superfluous waste,

As others by their towns and fruitful tillage graced.

And therefore, to recount her rivers from their lins,

Abridging all delays, Mervinia thus begins:

“Though Dovy, which doth far her neighboring floods surmount

(Whose course for hers alone Montgomery doth account),

Hath Angell for her own, and Keriog she doth clear,

With Towin, Gwedall then, and Dulas, all as dear,

Those tributary streams she is maintained withall;

Yet, boldly may I say, her rising and her fall

My country calleth hers, with many another brook,

That with their crystal eyes on the Vergivian look.

To Dovy next, of which Desunny seaward drives,

Lingorrill goes alone: but plenteous Avon strives

The first to be at sea; and faster her to hie,

Clear Kessilgum comes in, with Hergum by and by.

So Derry Moothy draws, and Moothy calleth Caine,

Which in one channel meet in going to the main,

As to their utmost power to lend her all their aids:

So Atro by the arm Lanbeder kindly leads.

And Velenrid the like, observing the other’s law,

Calls Cunnell; she again fair Drurid forth doth draw,

That from their mother Earth, the rough Mervinia, pay

Their mixed plenteous springs unto the lesser bay

Of those two noble arms into the land that bear,

Which through Gwinethia be so famous everywhere,

On my Carnarvan side by nature made my mound,

As Dovy doth divide the Cardiganian ground.

The pearly Conwaye’s head, as that of holy Dee,

Renowned rivers both, their rising have in me:

So Lavern and the Lue, themselves that headlong throw

Into the spacious lake, where Dee unmixed doth flow.

Trowerrin takes his stream here from a native lin;

Which, out of Pimblemere when Dee himself doth win,

Along with him his lord full courteously doth glide:

So Rudock riseth here, and Cletor that do guide

Him in his rugged path, and make his greatness way,

Their Dee into the bounds of Denbigh to convey.”