Poem of the Week, week 40: Knut Ødegård "Earthsong"

EARTHSONG

Earth sings her heavy-hearted song.
When sorrel blooms, we shear
the white and the black sheep. Back they go
again to the green steeps.
Going into heavy times, Earth mutters and turns
slowly on herself.
When frost comes creaking, we go out on the fog-blue steeps,
gather our dreams home. Going into heavy times.

But something has kept on. Whoever strays
into the dark ravine and cleft, meets dark and frost.
Sees the moon sharpen her sickle over the Earth.

Knut Ødegård

Translated by George Johnston in Wind over Romsdal, Poems by Knut Ødegård, Penumbra Press, Moonbeam, Ontario, Canada, 1982, p. 44.

See the poem in Norwegian

Poem of the Week

Learn more about the series and see all poems here