in that field
on that hill
that stone
I usually mistake
for a pheasant
looked like a hare
today
.
den sten
på den dér mark
på den dér høj
den sten
jeg normalt tror
er en fasan
lignede en hare
i dag
words and art by Johannes S. H. Bjerg
As a continuation of exploring counter-point/juxtapostion in poetry to create a kind of dialogue in the reader’s mind, these are experiments to find out whether a title – or what presents itself as a title typographically – could function as a first line in a poem. Normally we read the title as a more or less comprehensive catch-phrase of what the text below it will reveal, but in this case the following phrase/poem will be in juxtaposition to what the title proposes. The basic presumption is that “the space” between the two parts creates a room for the reader to enter. I hope it works.
…*…
THE LONGEST DAY EVER RECORDED
when you turn your head the pain subsides
.
DEN LÆNGSTE DAG DER NOGENSINDE ER MÅLT
når du drejer hovedet aftager smerten
:
THE DENTIST ISN’T IN TODAY
I’ve only seen the Eiffel Tower
.
TANDLÆGEN ER HER IKKE I DAG
jeg har kun set Eiffeltårnet
:
FRIDAY
have you noticed the nails are bleeding?
.
FREDAG
har Du lagt mærke til at sømmene bløder?
:
YOU LOOK AT THE COBWEB IN THE CEILING AND SIGH
it’s no use
the pizza
sleeps
DU SER PÅ SPINDELVÆVET I LOFTET OG SUKKER
det nytter ikke noget
pizzaen
sover
:
ELEGY
she always tries to smile backwards
.
ELEGI
hun prøver altid at smile baglæns
:
NOT YOU, YOU CAN’T SHUT UP
every drop
’s full
of rain
.
IKKE DIG, DU KAN IKKE HOLDE KÆFT
enhver dråbe
r fuld
af regn
the right
hand
the right
hand
pauses
mid
air
the right
hand
holds
a cloud
and
forgets
.
the left
hand
the left
hand
pauses
mid
air
the left
hand
holds
a cloud
and
forgets
::::::
den højre
hånd
den højre
hånd
standser
i
luften
den højre
hånd
holder
en sky
og
glemmer
.
den venstre
hånd
den venstre
hånd
standser
i
luften
den venstre
hånd
holder
en sky
og
glemmer