Skip to content

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
    • About The Collections
    • Contact Me
  • News
  • Shop
    • Poetry
    • 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

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: prose

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

– I think, most people are clever –not so happy, but clever and thoughtful – – I seek a friend – – he shall walk hand in hand with me,and he shall say:I know nothing either – understand nothing,except that […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: for my parents

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I did not become what you expected –I became everything you had feared –you let me grow upsustained by your privations.you raised me with hidden tears –raised meto live your life – continue it –shall I say:that is how you […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: it

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

not that thought,that I still walk on the path –that I still have the safe mountain wallby my side –that flowers grow there –and that the grass muffles the hardness of the step –that the cliff irradiates the heat of the sun […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: eighteen years old

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

man and woman –black square sofawith pale flowers –the large light’s turned off –a faint lamp burnsyellow – they kiss each otherlong –they squeeze each otherhard –as if there was something,which may not be – her shoulders are bare –breaststhrough […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: afterwards

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

– with hard iron-bootsI will stepand turn my iron-heel – – a woman sits cryingon an unmade bed –yesterday the sheets were white and smooth,yesterday her child lived – – with hardiron-bootsI will stepand turn my iron-heel,to squash the laughing […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: the new times

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

it is life,where ice-cold downpours whip the earth cleanand free of dirt,where lightnings spread the shady fogs,which cover the old shit, in the dark rooms –it is life,when the unhealthy, pale amphibians,which lurk with red eyes,shrink and crackin the sun’s […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: human

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

human –whether you are strong, and your voice is heard by many,or you are small and weak,whether you are dumb or clever,what is that compared with all the restin the world –nothing –the mountains are tall or low,the roses red […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: Lisbeth

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

you are a little horse wagonwith bells on it –merrily tripping horse –the sun glittersin the red face of the driver,white lilacs –happy peoplebabble –men and cigars,wives with coffeeand thermos –Sunday,naturally –

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: other nights

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

– we set our nets and hooksin filmy stillwater –we fetched them again in the morning –then the water could belike sloping green walls,falling down into dust – – some nights we got a good catch –then the nets lookedlike […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: anyway

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I stumbled around in darkness,and I felt cold. I had beaten the ones,I cared for. I had stolen from the oneswho wished me well. I was evil and ugly,and no woman would smile at me. and I stared at my impure […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: banal

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

square womanin a window –green rubber apron –starry eyeslook down at a little black dogby a lamppost. –bare blue armssometimesshe is bentover a white cold glossy bucket –she wrings the cloth –white foamy soap-watergushes in fine hard jetsout between red […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: the genuine

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

do not believe,that the softly sounding tonesare from the most delicate strings –rather believethe sharp and cold tones,when strings are tightened too hard –do not believe,that the roaring strokescome from the strongest wings –rather believethe forced calmbefore the cliff rattles […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: the conversion

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

we understood nothing,knew nothing,and we comforted each otherwe doubted together –but one daymy world became clear,and my sky light and warm –that dayI saw,I heard it,and I understood,why the earth before was grey,and why the sky now was light –but […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: the sleep

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I love you not,but I will come to youone day,when the wind hangs lazily high up above the sun,like a child who has played itself tired – I will come to you on the beach,where the rocks lie like loose […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: poor life

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

there are those,who every night rest on the same branchand only eat out of the right bowl. there are those,who every morning sing the same songand always to the same beloved,always only to one god. there are those,who only follow one […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: the fishermen dance at the inn

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

– you can hear it along the streetand down at the quay:that the fishermen dance at the inn – – and lord my god, how they dancelike large petroleum motorsand barrels on their way down the stairs,it is sturdy legs […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: old mothers

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

– heavy, large, swayingwith thin, cold coatsthe mothers rock into the milk sales,the food courts,the clothing shops –– hasty gazes into oilcloth bags,glossy bags with many five cents,two cents,twentyfive cents –sighing glances in light wallets –careful questions:if there wasn’t something cheaper,smaller […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: the meaning of life

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I do not workwith my hands,not for the betterment of society –I waste away the daysby thinking endless thoughts.the days, which passemptywithout result –I wander the streetsday after day –I look at humans and doubt —— until now I have not learned to […]

  • Gustaf Munch-Petersen
  • naked human
13 Feb, 202013

Gustaf Munch-Petersen: untitled

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

we legionnaires of nakednesswe shall conquer the earthand deliver up humans to life – perhaps our only triumph shall bethe one,which streams from our oozing wounds –perhaps the world shall one day resound withthe stamping of our victorious sandals –

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Land Which Is Not
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Arrival in Hades

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Look, here’s the beach of eternitywhere the stream runs past,and death plays in the bushesits certain, repetitive melody. Death, why do you silence?We were long underwayand long to hear,we never had a wet-nursewho could sing like you do. The wreath […]

Posts navigation

Older posts
Newer posts

Number of items in basket: 0

  • Your basket is empty.
  • Total: $0.00
  • Checkout

Recent Posts

  • The future of this website – PART 2
  • The Future of This Website
  • Will I Ever Write Again?
  • New Poem: “A Kind Light”
  • New Poem: “Will You?”

Tags

Alienation Anxiety Art Beauty Change Communication Contemplation Creativity Cycles Death Depression Disillusion Dreams Family Growing Up Home Hope Identity Integrity Interconnection Ironic Isolation Life Loneliness Longing Loss Love Melancholy Memory Nature Peace People Poetry Scenery Self-reliance Sensitivity Society Technology Thoughts Time Transience Truth Unrequited Love Wanderlust Writing

Categories

Recent Posts

  • The future of this website – PART 2
  • The Future of This Website
  • Will I Ever Write Again?
  • New Poem: “A Kind Light”
  • New Poem: “Will You?”
  • New Poem: “lockdown transformation”
  • New Poem: “A World Within the Span of Your Arms”
  • New Poem: “Day Dawning Needlessly”

Practical Info

  • News
  • Contact
  • Data Processing on Fjordscene.com

Poems

  • 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
Copyright © All rights reserved.Theme Mirak by Sensational Theme
Scroll Up