‘The Seagull’
In this episode we look at one of Dafydd ap Gwilym’s cywyddau llatai and explain the meaning of that word – ‘llatai’ – and discuss the usual pattern followed by these kinds of cywyddau. This is a kind of poem which combines two of Dafydd’s favourite themes, love and nature, giving the poet’s imagination free rein as he personifies the seagull and flatters it. We appreciate Dafydd’s charming descriptions of the bird and try to guess which fortified town is referred to in the poem. We note that another old familiar theme appears in this work, namely Dafydd’s claim that he is sick because of love.