Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Steinar Opstad

I have given my body to the ignorant and the enlightened

I have given my body to the ignorant and the enlightened
the sentenced and the studious
but I have never simplified my soul
For the gift I received was simpleness

And what we give to nature we receive from nature
For nature is a human being
smaller than a grain of sand and greater than a mountain
And love lies like the visions of a hunted animal

In simpleness all will triumph or perish
I sigh, while others shout
I laugh, while others sleep
I kiss your eyes and close mine

I have given my body to the ignorant and the enlightened

Jeg har delt kropp med enfoldige og opplyste
med straffedømte og lærde
men aldri har jeg forenklet min sjel
For gaven jeg fikk var enkelheten

Og det vi gir naturen får vi tilbake fra naturen
For naturen er et menneske
mindre enn et sandkorn og større enn et fjell
Og kjærligheten ligner synene til et jaget dyr

I enkelheten får enhver seire eller forgå
Jeg sukker, der andre roper
Jeg ler, der andre sovner
Jeg kysser øynene dine og lukker mine
Close

I have given my body to the ignorant and the enlightened

I have given my body to the ignorant and the enlightened
the sentenced and the studious
but I have never simplified my soul
For the gift I received was simpleness

And what we give to nature we receive from nature
For nature is a human being
smaller than a grain of sand and greater than a mountain
And love lies like the visions of a hunted animal

In simpleness all will triumph or perish
I sigh, while others shout
I laugh, while others sleep
I kiss your eyes and close mine

I have given my body to the ignorant and the enlightened

I have given my body to the ignorant and the enlightened
the sentenced and the studious
but I have never simplified my soul
For the gift I received was simpleness

And what we give to nature we receive from nature
For nature is a human being
smaller than a grain of sand and greater than a mountain
And love lies like the visions of a hunted animal

In simpleness all will triumph or perish
I sigh, while others shout
I laugh, while others sleep
I kiss your eyes and close mine
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère