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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
    • About The Collections
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    • 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

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

Edith Södergran: Autumn

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Now it is autumn and the golden birdsall fly home over deep blue waters;on the beach I sit and starein the midst of the trembling glareand the hour of parting sighs through the branches.Great is the parting, separation near,but reunion […]

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

Edith Södergran: Nocturnal Madonna

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

When the black clouds moved across the skya mother sat awake by her sleeping child.And the voice of an angel in the stillness of the nightsang the law of all worlds. And the young mother heard as an echodeep inside […]

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

Edith Södergran: An Encounter

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Three maidens went hand in hand across an open plain.They met a rider covered with a cloak.The first maiden stretched out her arms: love, come!The second maiden fell on her knees: spare me, death!The third maiden turned to the right:the […]

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

Edith Södergran: The Portrait

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

For my brief songs,the merrily moaning, the evening red,Spring gave me the egg of a waterfowl. I asked my beloved to paint my portrait on its thick shell.He painted a young onion in brown topsoil –and on the other side a […]

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

Edith Södergran: Hospital Visit

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I bring you a sole flower-heavy branchfrom the vast forest of spring.You say nothing and starewith your deep, sick eyesat the light reflections in the glass.You say nothing and smile,for this spring moves by, past your heart.We have nothing more […]

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

Edith Södergran: The Rose

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I am beautiful for I grew in the garden of my beloved.I stood in Spring showers and drank desire,I stood in the sun and drank glow –now I stand open and wait.

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

Edith Södergran: Summer in the Mountains

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Simple is the summer in the mountains:the meadow blossoms,the old farm smilesand the brook’s dim babble speaks of found happiness.

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Star

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

What do you know? What do you know?It is difficult to say.I feel happiness in my hand, happiness in itself,I have luck, the great luck, in my fingers. Oh wonderful luck!I’m counted among those who believe in their own star:to […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Large Garden

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

We are all on a homeless rambling,one sole group of siblings.Naked we walk clad in shreds with our bundles,but what do the lords own compared to us?Through the air treasures stream to meet uswhich cannot be measured by the weight […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Aspiration of the Lightning

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I am an eagle.It is my confession.Not poet,never anything else.Everything else I despise.To me there is nothing but circling in the flight of an eagle.What happens in the flight of an eagle?Always the same, the eternal.In the sky a lightning […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Decision

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I am a very mature person,but nobody knows me.My friends are mistaken about me.I am not tame.I have measured the tameness in my eagle’s talons and know it well.Oh eagle, what sweetness in the flight of your wings.Shall you be silent […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Sun

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I am blissful.Bold morning sun, shine into my face, touch my brow.No, you already hear my proud answer.The arrogance of my heart increases with every orbit of the sun.It is as if I held the sphere of the sun in my […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Animalistic Hymn

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

The red sun riseswithout thoughtsand is the same to everybody.We enjoy the sun like children.There comes a day when our dust shall crumble,it doesn’t matter when.Now, the sun shines into the inner-most corner of our heartsand fills everything with thoughtlessness,strong […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Four Small Poems

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I.How can one chest contain all this ecstasy?– it is the only question in my philosophy.And my only answer: because, because I know.What do I know?That I shall live in awe of the sunand not die and not win,a sun which cannot stand […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: The Hyacinth

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

I.I stand so bold, excited and happy.Shall the snowballs of fate cover me up?May the snow run in my brown hair,may the snow cool my loving neck.I lift my head. I have my secret, What is it that controls me?I […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Hamlet

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

What does my mortal heart want? My mortal heart remains silent. My mortal heart wants nothing.Here lies all the Earth. You turn away in convulsions.A wand has touched this Earth, and it turned to dust.And where I sit on ruinsI […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Materialism

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

In order not to die I must be the will to power.To avoid the fight of the atoms in dissolution.I am a chemical mass. I know it,I don’t believe in deceit and soul,the game of games is so foreign to […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Ecstasy

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

It is dangerous to wish when you’re the mighty,therefore my wishes stand still.– – – – – – – –beware, the past dreams,beware, we hold the closed bowl of tomorrow in the hand,beware, the purest of everything pure,beware, blissfulness which […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: Oh, You, My Heart’s Vastness

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

Let me outstretch my arm, oh Life.Oh you my heart’s vastness. I waitto hear my voice.I will speak, my words shall fall like burning bonfires among the mosses.– – – – – – – –There is no hand that touches the […]

  • Edith Södergran
  • The Shadow of the Future
12 Jan, 202012

Edith Södergran: At Sunrise

Posted By K-M Skalkenæs

People, people,like the rainfalls from HeavenI descend to the Earth. My blessed eyes have seen the stars,I have caught lightnings in my right hand,the power, the power streams over my lies. Fate puts me at watch at sunset.Hailed be the vastness around […]

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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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