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Fjordscene Poetry

Poetry, writing and translations by K-M Skalkenæs

  • English poetry
    • 30 after thoughts (2021)
    • divisive / dismissive / missive (2018)
    • Light Requires Darkness (2018)
    • Seen From a Distance People Lose Their Eyes (2017)
    • Confessions of the Cold Light of Dawn (2014)
    • What Bits of Peace My Life’s Ensured (2014)
    • Poems Inspired by Paintings (2014)
  • Danish poetry
    • De spor man efterlader sig (2017)
  • Translations
    • Edith Södergran
      • Poems
      • The September Lyre
      • The Rose Altar
      • The Shadow of the Future
      • The Land Which Is Not
    • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
      • naked human
      • The Lowest Country
      • Towards Jerusalem
      • Nineteen Poems
    • Edvard Søderberg
  • Info
    • About My Poetry
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    • Translations

I primarily translate poetry, and primarily from the languages: Danish, Swedish and German – into English.

I originally started translating poetry in order to make the works of Gustaf Munch-Petersen available in English – both so that I could share it with friends (and later, by extension, with the world at large), and as a sort of tribute. After translating his entire oeuvre, I went ahead with translating Edith Södergran in the same manner.

My other translations are more sporadic, and count poems that are meaningful to me – intended to stand on their own as they are.

I try my hardest to maintain the content of the poems without sacrifizing rhyme and meter – but if small alterations of the former are necessary in order to get the latter to work, I may choose to do so. I am, after all, a poet before I am a translator.

Category: Translations

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Foam

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

The champagne of lifewe drink pearlylight as foamtransparentchampagne-hearts… Champagne-eyes –the sky winks promisingly at you. Champagne-feet –follow your star Champagne-spirits –the glass cheers in your hands!

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Light Patches

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I have powers. I fear nothing.Light is heaven to me.If the world comes to an end –I shall not perish.My light horizons standover the stormy night of the Earth.Step out of the mysterious light patch!Unyielding my power waits.

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Carefreeness

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I don’t believe in humans.I’d have crushed my lyreif I didn’t believe in God.God shows me the wayout of the fog to the sun’s shining orb.He loves those who wander lightfootedly.Therefore he gave me all this carefreeness.I believe in him as […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Train of the Future

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Tear down all gates of honour –they’re too low.Make room for our amazing train!Heavy is the future – build bridgesfor endless time! Giants, carry rocks from the end of the world!Demons, pour oil on the kettles!Monster, calculate the width with […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Armoured Trains

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Fifty wagons with hope I had loaded for your America.They returned empty…The freight of disappointment…Now I’ll send armoured trains with rockhard masks in threatening peepholes:Wagons with achieval will return home by the thousands.

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Genie of the Apocalypse (fragment)

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Humans, it swells in my breast.Flames, smoke and the stench of burned flesh:it is the war.– – – – – – – –I’ve come from the war – I arose out of chaos –I am the elements – in biblical […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Condition

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Without actionI cannot live,chained to the lyre I would die.Is the lyre indeed the greatest on Earth for meI stayed true to it,was I not a flaming soul.The one who doesn’t with bloody nailsbreak a crack in the wall of […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Mother of God’s Rose

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

A rose lies in the arms of the Mother of God.A single petalheals crippled hearts.A rose lies in the arms of the Mother of God.She smiles with shining eyes –who will heal their poisonous hearts?

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The God’s Lyre

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Where does the lyre exists,of silver and ivory,which the gods presentedto the tribe of mortals?It has not been lost,since eternal presentsaren’t worn down by time,do not fall victim to fire. But does a singer comewith the deep marks of fate,he’ll fetch […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Trail of the Gods

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

The gods go through life with hearts raised above the pain…The gods carry life as lightly as columns carry brilliant rooms.The gods go through life, lonely, un-recognized they stand and watch our dark earth with eternal eyes.And where they have […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Fairy’s Castle

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Behind the sea begins the mountains,behind the mountains is the fairy’s castle in the clouds.The fairy is eternally fifteen years old. –Her sunshine garments are more precious than the Earth.The fairy wishes everybody as blessed as her…her light heart she […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Revanche

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

If I don’t succeed in bringing downthe tower in the town of reality,I will sing the stars from the skylike nobody has yet done.I will sing till my longing stops,the one that has never yet calmed,so that it pushes away […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Landscape At Sunset

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Look at the sunsetfloating fire-islands moveimperial over cream green seas.Islands on fire! Islands like torches!Islands on victory parade!Up from the depths a black forest sparklessneaky, envious – joyous, tree by tree, triumph by triumph…Poor stripes of forest in pale veils of mistis […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Whirl of Madness

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Protect your boat against superhuman currents,the whirling abyss of madness –protect your boat against the cheering waves of the fall,they crush everything.Protect yourself – here you don’t count anymore –life and death is one against the frenetic happiness of the […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Song From the Cloud

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Up on the clouds live all I need:my daylight – sure ideas, my lightning – quick certainty,and on the clouds I myself live– white, in sun which blinds,inaccessible, happy, waving goodbye.Goodbye, green woods of my youth.There hang beasts –I will […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Secret of the Moon

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

The moon knows… that I must only float here tonight.In copper bands over the lake a certainty shines forth:corpses must lay among the trees on a wonderful beach.The moon shall cast its most beautiful light on the mysterious beach.The wind […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Evening Walk

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

All the golden stars of time on my dark velvet suit.I am triumphant… tonight… and I tremble.The hard poles of fate pound from my chest.Does the wind whirl up the sand on all pavements?– – – – – – – […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Storm

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Humans,doesn’t the storm pass over the skythat your longing has piled upby eagles borneto eternal heights?Who will bring the storm to its knees?Where does it hit,when it comes from the heights, reckless, with the wings of distant times?Do you hearvoices […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The World Bathes In Blood

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

The world bathes in blood in order for God to survive.For His magnificence to endure, all other must perish.What do we humans know about how the eternal thrivesand what the gods drink to sustain their power?God will create a new world. […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The September Lyre
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Prayer

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

God, Almighty, have mercy on us!See the well of our adoration – it grows deeper and deeper.Seven days and seven nightswe draw waterfrom our well to you.Seven months and three yearsin the same placewe pray for your mercy:let us into […]

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  • 30 after thoughts
  • divisive / dismissive / missive
  • Light Requires Darkness
  • Seen From a Distance People Lose Their Eyes
  • De spor man efterlader sig
  • Confessions of the Cold Light of Dawn
  • What Bits of Peace My Life’s Ensured
  • Poems Inspired by Paintings
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