Poem of the Week, week 49: Jan Jakob Tønseth "Night Dream"

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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.

NIGHT DREAM Memories from a dream are fast forgotten. You can’t bring them with you into the day. At night you can well be a hunter. You borrow a hunter’s heart. Town-dweller! Fully you understood a hunter’s heart. You were soundless in the deep forest. Translated by John Irons  
NATTDRØM Erindringer fra en drøm er fort glemt. Du får dem ikke med inn i dagen. Om natten kan du godt være jeger. Du låner en jegers hjerte. Menneske fra byen! Til fulle forsto du en jegers hjerte. Du var lydløs i den dype skog.

From Jan Jakob Tønseth (1947–2018), Referanser (fjerne og nære), Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, Oslo 1979.

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