They walked together
Mother and daughter
Against a wind that bent the willows
Lifted snow spray and their dress hems
An icy blast cut through to the breast
No thoughts any longer of summer and birds
Suddenly both squatted down
And gave birth to open-mouthed infant girls
Which they blanketed with snow
So that the pair would stay warm
And they lay down beside them
And started to sing a hymn of summer
When they had finished the first verse
In a wind at their backs came mother of mother
And lay down between the babies
And joined the hymn
Translated by Thomas A. DuBois
Soai vácciiga buohtalagaid
eadni ja nieida
vuostebiggii mii sojahalai sieđggaid
loktii muohttaga ja suodno helmmiid
Guoldu sázai ratti
Ii lean šat vejolaš jurddašit geasi ja cizážiid
Fáhkkestaga goappašagat nolliheaigga
ja riegádahtiiga rabasnjálmmat nieidamánáid
maid soai govččaiga muohttagiin
vai njuoratguovttos bivašeaigga
Ieža soai velledeaigga báldii
ja lávlugođiiga geassesálmma
Go soai leaigga vuosttas vearssa gergehan
iđii miehtebiekkas eatni eadni
velledii sudno njuoratguoktá gaskii
ja čuovvolii sálmma
*
De gikk side om side
mor og datter
i motvind som bøyde vidjene
virvlet opp snøen og koftekantene
Snoen pisket mot brystet
Sommer og småspurv fjernt fra tanken
Brått veltet begge seg over
og fødte halsende jentebarn
som de dekket med snø
så de nyfødte kunne holde varmen
Sjøl la de seg ved sida av
og sang en sommersang
Da de var ferdige med første vers
kom mors mor til syne med vinden
la seg mellom de to nyfødte
og sang med
From Rauni Magga Lukkari (1943), Árbeeadni, Davvi Girji. Karasjok 1996.
The Norwegian translation comes from Rauni Magga Lukkari, Morslodd, translated by Laila Stien, Davvi Girji, Karasjok 1998.
The English translation comes from We Were the Wind. Four Centuries of Sami Literature, CálliidLágádus, Karasjok 2019.
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.