Fraser Bruce 

WHITE FLOWER (Ian M. Bruce/m.c.p.s.)

 

 

 

1914 saw the Great War begin
Times of great turmoil for all kith and kin
But through the grim poppies of the red and the blue
One single white flower grew

And all through the valleys the town clocks resound
Male voices seep from the ground
And sing with the sirens from dusk till the dawn
One single White Flower is born

 

1939, World at war once again
Sent from their homes conscripted men
Like seeds on the wind to pastures anew
From Leith to Tredegar they blew

And all through the valleys the town clocks resound
Male voices seep from the ground
And sing with the sirens, roar upon roar
The White Flowers single no more

 

In three different gardens roots were put down
Branches from each in turn settle down
Time marches on and it’s so sad to say
The White Flowers fading away

And all through the valleys the town clocks ding dong
We weep with the male voices song
As sure as she’s graced us we’ve been left alone
Lily of the Valleys gone home

 

Mai hen wlad fy nhadau by crowd or by choir
Sets every Welsh soul afire
But she knew it gentle.
We knew it shy Lily of the Valley – Goodbye
Mai hen wlad dy dadai’n, gofledio di enwaith mwy

 

This song is in memory of our mother, Blodwen (Translates as White Flower). She was born in Tredegar in 1914 and married our father, Jack, in 1939. Her favourite flower was Lily of the Valley. She thought it was such a beautiful and delicate flower.

Dad was born in Leith in 1909 and they were married in London. With 3 sons born in different parts of the UK. Mum didn’t actually speak Welsh fluently but, when asked for a song at a party she would always sing ‘Mai hen wlad fy nhadau’ gently and with very graceful hand movements. When Ian wrote this song he had all of this in mind.