The 'Ivy Crown' comes from the story of Llewelyn the Last.
Long before Llewelyn, there was a spoken-word prophecy in Wales that one day, a Welsh man would be crowned the King of Britain, in London. After a life spent fighting for the identity and recognition of his people, and enacting a peace agreement with King Edward, Llewelyn was betrayed and soon executed. His head was then placed on a Pike, and his adorned with a Crown made of Poison Ivy, in mockery of the centuries-old Welsh prophecy.
Llewelyn's Head remained on top of the gatehouse of the Tower of London for at least a decade, and he was never given a proper burial.
lyrics
Posteri yn ffenestri ar stryd hen fy nain
Fflachiadau o felyn rhwng y'r un hen red, blue, and white
Does dim anwybyddu'r dagrau sy di socian mewn i'r tir
Dim rheswm trio cuddio chwaith, tan y tir yn colli'r fudd
A wneith y tir fyth colli'r fudd
Mae na hud yn y mynyddoedd
Hudoliaeth yn y cymoedd
Mae gen i fudd yn y cymyloedd
I dal ni'n dyn, i gadw'r fudd fan hyn
Ar ben y wen fel coron eiddw
Fel coron eiddw
Dwi'n arogli'r persawr o newid yn amlach yn diweddar
Fel dwylo cynnes mam a'i fysedd llawn cennin pedr
Clywed pobl yn canu gyda gobaith yn ei lleisiau
Defnyddio'r iaith i son yn ddewr am dan ein cleisiau
Mae gen i obaith wneith y blant gofio
A wnawn i gofio'n ffyrnig hefo nhw, dysgu'r stori iddo nhw
Neud nhw ddisgyn i gariad hefo'r tir
Fel bod hi di caru ni o hyd
Mae na hud yn y mynyddoedd
Hudoliaeth yn y cymoedd
Mae gen i fudd yn y cymyloedd
I dal ni'n dyn, i gadw'r fudd fan hyn
Ar ben y wen fel coron eiddw
Fel coron eiddw
English Translation:
Posters in the windows on my grandmother's old street
Flashes of yellow between the same old red, blue, and white
There's no ignoring the tears that have soaked into the land
No reason to ignore it, either, until the land loses its faith
And the land will never lose faith
There is magic in the mountains
Magic in the valleys
I have faith in the clouds
To hold us close, to keep the faith right here
Above the white, like an ivy crown
I can smell the scent of change more often lately
Like a mother's warm hands full of daffodils
I hear people singing with hope in their voices
Using the language to speak bravely about their bruises
I have hope the children will remember
And we will remember fiercely with them
Teach the story to them
Make them fall into love with the land
As she has loved us always
There is magic in the mountains
Magic in the valleys
I have faith in the clouds
To hold us close, to keep the faith right here
Above the white, like an ivy crown
