Poem
Tone Hødnebø
WHO does not grow older
WHO does not grow older,only wiser like Jacob,
you draw a cloud, and look up.
Who is a calculation
when you do not tally,
what you add subtract and vice versa,
all the elements
in one and the same second
will rise like air and the earth descend
in a deceptive dream in which you are the things you do,
a ladder you climb,
falls down.
Who will be what you do not see,
not a wonder in the book
without the pages disappearing.
Good night, you said, no promises.
© Translation: 2007, Anthony Barnett
WHO does not grow older
HVEM blir ikke eldre,
bare klokere som Jakob,
du tegner en sky, og ser opp.
Hvem er et regnestykke
når du ikke går opp,
det du legger til trekkes fra og omvendt,
alle elementene
i ett og samme sekund
slik luft vil opp, og jord vil ned
i en listig drøm hvor du blir det du gjør,
en stige du klatrer opp,
faller ned.
Hvem blir det du ikke ser,
ikke et under i boken
uten at arkene forsvinner.
God natt, sa du, og ingen løfter.
bare klokere som Jakob,
du tegner en sky, og ser opp.
Hvem er et regnestykke
når du ikke går opp,
det du legger til trekkes fra og omvendt,
alle elementene
i ett og samme sekund
slik luft vil opp, og jord vil ned
i en listig drøm hvor du blir det du gjør,
en stige du klatrer opp,
faller ned.
Hvem blir det du ikke ser,
ikke et under i boken
uten at arkene forsvinner.
God natt, sa du, og ingen løfter.
© 2002, Tone Hødnebø
From: Stormstigen
Publisher: Kolon forlag, Oslo
From: Stormstigen
Publisher: Kolon forlag, Oslo
Poems
Poems of Tone Hødnebø
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WHO does not grow older
WHO does not grow older,only wiser like Jacob,
you draw a cloud, and look up.
Who is a calculation
when you do not tally,
what you add subtract and vice versa,
all the elements
in one and the same second
will rise like air and the earth descend
in a deceptive dream in which you are the things you do,
a ladder you climb,
falls down.
Who will be what you do not see,
not a wonder in the book
without the pages disappearing.
Good night, you said, no promises.
© 2007, Anthony Barnett
From: Stormstigen
From: Stormstigen
WHO does not grow older
WHO does not grow older,only wiser like Jacob,
you draw a cloud, and look up.
Who is a calculation
when you do not tally,
what you add subtract and vice versa,
all the elements
in one and the same second
will rise like air and the earth descend
in a deceptive dream in which you are the things you do,
a ladder you climb,
falls down.
Who will be what you do not see,
not a wonder in the book
without the pages disappearing.
Good night, you said, no promises.
© 2007, Anthony Barnett
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