A Veäry Tale
A Poem Based on The Words In The Glossary Of PJ Harvey's epic poem "Orlam"
Introduction
I am still reading "Orlam" by Polly Jean Harvey and each page in the book is set out in English, then her Dorset dialect. At the end of the book is a glossary of words used in the book and I have to thank Judey Kalchik for providing this link for me to use:
And also the encouragement of Bill O'Neil in the Vocal & Medium Cafe
This is my piece on how "Orlam" is inspiring me.
I originally wanted to only use words in the "Orlam" Glossary but Polly Jean's words use a mix of Dorset and English.
I won't say what the Dorset words mean, and as "Orlam" itself is dark and mythically magical I think I will use the villanelle format, and hope that Vocal are OK with the Dorset dialect, although when you think about it, it is an English dialect.
Judey's link will provide some words but not all, for that you may have to get the book.
The song is "The Nether Edge" from ‘I Inside the Old Year Dying’ the album that accompanies "Orlam"
A Veäry Tale
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Hag-Ridden Through The Grotten To The Hoar Stone
The Jack-o’-lent Moves In LibbetsTo Eat More
Wevvets and Wevvet Queens There In Wagwanton
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In The Bwoneyard Bedraggled Angels Are Come
Darkling Birds Tardle In Trees With A Culver
Hag-Ridden Through The Grotten To The Hoar Stone
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A Bleäre In Gore Heard As You Clutch Your Bavèn
Theosom Thieves Wait By The Veäry Ring In Gore
Wevvets and Wevvet Queens There In Wagwanton
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See In The Leäze The Haulm They Bin Haÿmeäkèn
Here We Hear The Buzzing Noise of Dumbledore
Hag-Ridden Through The Grotten To The Hoar Stone
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Zedgemocks, Yollerheads, Yoller Roses And Zun
In The Vuzzen The Wheel-Bird Sees The Black Wurse
Wevvets and Wevvet Queens There In Wagwanton
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Ho's Adder Comes Quietly To Foretell Heissen
The Chattermag Feasts on Chetlens, Devil's Bird
Hag-Ridden Through The Grotten To The Hoar Stone
Wevvets and Wevvet Queens There In Wagwanton
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Comments (8)
Very interesting!
Fabulous!!! Loving it!!!❤️❤️💕
Love this idea. Dialects are fascinating!
I love this and PJ (my Insta handle is FiveFootQueenie LOL). I have to go back and do the translations because I'm nosey, but then again, I feel that it might lose some of its magic if I do. It's beautiful without knowing what it all means!
Lol, the only one I knew was that Dumbledore is Bumblebee! Loved your Villanelle!
Beautiful, all the moreso for not understanding a lot of it, lol. I'm on my cell right now & will have to wait until I get home for the translation.
Very creative, although I have no idea what I just read.
hauntingly beautiful