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
//like my father and mother I have the sky above me
som min far og mor har jeg himlen over mig
.
today the rain doesn’t care if you’re a hipster or a beggar
i dag er regnen ligeglad med om du er hipster eller tigger
.
arrogantly I think the cornflower in me is my own doing
arrogant tænker jeg at kornblomsten i mig er én jeg har groet selv
.
stay out long enough and the wind will take your place
vær ude længe nok og vinden vil tage din plads
.
I didn’t stop the sunlight from crawling across the table
jeg forhindrede ikke sollyset i at kravle over bordet
.
sometimes an apple sleeps
nogle gange sover et æble
.
do they talk when they cannot paint?
snakker de når de ikke kan male?
.
someone’s tearing up the street
en eller anden river gaden op
.
looks like he’s proud of his jackhammer
ser ud til at han er stolt af sit trykluftbor
.
four lighters on the table and spring has begun
fire lightere på bordet og foråret er begyndt
.
time doesn’t stop when you change the date
tiden står ikke stille når du retter på datoen