Poem of the Week, week 38: Georg Johannesen "The full moon"

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Take part in a weekly journey through 52 poems by authors from Norway throughout 2019 – Norway’s year as Guest of Honour.

THE FULL MOON Fifteen earth diameters away: The moon with ruined face sucks the sea a metre towards it The leper king out there is treated with sunshine in an airless night while a full-size globe slowly revolves in a poultice of wind Translated by John Irons
FULLMÅNEN Femten jorddiametre borte: Månen med ødelagt ansikt suger havet en meter mot seg Den spedalske kongen der ute behandles med solskinn i en lufttom natt mens en globus i full størrelse beveger seg langsomt rundt i et omslag av vind

From Georg Johannesen (1931–2005), Ars Moriendi, eller de syv dødsmåter, Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, Oslo 1965.

Poem of the Week. 52 poems through the year

From the time when the earliest texts were recorded in runic inscriptions, poetry has had a strong position in Norway. By introducing a new poem each week throughout 2019, we aim to highlight the quality and breadth of Norwegian poetry. «Poem of the Week» presents 52 poems, inspired by the changing seasons and the passing of the year. The selection has been made by Annette Vonberg and Tone Carlsen, and consists of poems from the earliest handwritten manuscripts up until today, with a special emphasis on contemporary poetry.

Poem of the week