Poem

Tomas Tranströmer

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MIDWINTER

A blue sheen
radiates from my clothes.
Midwinter.
Jangling tambourines of ice.
I close my eyes.
There is a soundless world
there is a crack
where dead people
are smuggled across the border.

MIDWINTER

Een blauw schijnsel
stroomt mijn kleren uit.
Midwinter.
Tinkelende tamboerijnen van ijs.
Ik sluit mijn ogen.
Er bestaat een geluidloze wereld
er bestaat een kier
waardoor doden
de grens over worden gesmokkeld.

MIDVINTER

Ett blått sken
strömmar ut från mina kläder.
Midvinter.
Klirrande tamburiner av is.
Jag sluter ögonen.
Det finns en ljudlös värld
det finns en spricka
där döda
smugglas över gränsen.

From: Samlade dikter 1954-1996
Publisher: Albert Bonniers Förlag, Stockholm

Tomas Tranströmer

(Sweden, 1931 - 2015)

Few poets have been more widely translated than the Swede Tomas Tranströmer, whose work has appeared in no less than 46 languages. His influence, notably on North American poets, has been strong. The reason for this international appeal may be found primarily in his highly original imagery, which invariably shows the world in a new and unexpected light.

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Poems of Tomas Tranströmer

MIDWINTER

A blue sheen
radiates from my clothes.
Midwinter.
Jangling tambourines of ice.
I close my eyes.
There is a soundless world
there is a crack
where dead people
are smuggled across the border.

MIDWINTER

A blue sheen
radiates from my clothes.
Midwinter.
Jangling tambourines of ice.
I close my eyes.
There is a soundless world
there is a crack
where dead people
are smuggled across the border.