THE WINTER LIGHT
The winter light soaked up
the remains of autumn
The fruit dried on the branches
It didn't fall that year
It was so quiet and nothing fell
The air was too viscous to sink through
Still there were bird traces
on the river every morning
stippled lines the winter
could put its name on
Confirming that all shall fall
All shall fall and land
All shall land and die down
All shall die down and stiffen
like a bird to the ground
He was so sure
that the soul rose up
when the body died
That it became so light
Lighter than everything we know
Lighter than the first
flickering of snow in the air
Lighter than feather
The winter fell
And it was his name
that was written
along the bird tracks
Translated by May-Brit Akerholt
VINTERLYSET
Vinterlyset saug
bort siste rest av haust
Frukta tørka inn på greinene
Ho fall ikkje det året
Det var så stilt og ingenting fall
Lufta var for seig til å søkke gjennom
Likevel fanst det fuglespor
på elva kvar einaste morgon
Stipla linjer som vinteren
kunne sette namnet sitt på
Skrive under på at alt skal falle
Alt skal falle og lande
Alt skal lande og stilne
Alt skal stilne og stivne
som ein fugl til jorda
Han var så sikker
på at sjela steig opp
når kroppen døydde
At ho vart så lett
Lettare enn alt vi kjenner
Lettare enn den fyrste
flimringa av snø i lufta
Lettare enn fjør
Vinteren fall
Og det var hans namn
som stod skrive
langs fuglespora
From Hilde Myklebust (1979), Kvar ein fugl, Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo 2018.
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.