J. A. Rosendal

More about the translator

Translated by J. A. Rosendal

light turns into leaves /

You fall into a      world

wild   and   ever-changing

like the light

              after a storm

I am a bird egg

fluid

new      and holy

in     a wealth of    yellow anemones

It is here

Here the sun grows
on the rocks
and     small fuzzy creatures
  swim     in and out
in shoals

We sail across
the orange water

and         advance
through green corridors

Here is
the sky
  in the water’s edge

like                   sand

and we are
clam shells
at     the bottom,

as the sun           floods

all across
Saturday

Here insects exist
like eagles

and     birds
like        suns

on the branches of the trees

red sorrel
meadow ant
grey seal      and common blue

cranes and    foxes

Dragonflies                red deer

beetles     and       caterpillars

exist

like grains in the sand        of           the mind

now that                   the names
has      become so unfamiliar
you    have    to feel your way forward

seagulls

spoke and sang

from here
and   far out  into    the dark

shiny

golden

voices

Imagine

all of that
exists

The sky here

dissolves    itself
before it

once more

becomes soft and
new       and
near

We     laugh    loudly
for     ourselves
and     the birds

and blow
  without hesitation
The door for
yet      another    summer

open

here    the trees    stand
gentle     and mighty
    like     seaweed forests

      and     death     is
just        a monster
with       velvet skin

    that     sings
like         rushing waves
   for        us

Here
in     the shadow of
flowers
   like        umbrellas

we forget
our language

      stars     wander
lightly  above  us

quiet as

  feet in        grass

the water     towers
above us
and then     falls
again
and again
like     a knife

the gaze    is    a string
between      the trunks
and  we
    melt together
in                a forest edge

hiding
underneath         faltering bones
   new     roots     shoot

and      I     am
summernights
wild horses

restless

rapefield

and wrinkled rose

in full bloom

the next                 morning
I have
lost my way

It is
a        desert

of        bladderwrack
and     birds

big
black
trunks

                                                                                                                                 cling
                                                                                                                       themselves
                                                                                                                                     to
                                                                                                                                    me

                                                                                                                       and
                                                                                                                  worms
                                                                                                                     grow
                                                                                                        in the crowns
                                                                                                                    above

the shore   is burnt all up
in      a      blistering light
like    a     disease

the beach is still there

in an inky black flurry of flowers

we don’t see it

we     are     animals
in     seawater

quietly roaming around
under       the surface

of   wide    open spaces

One day

we

and the others

come rising from the bottom

again

like kingfishers

a fallen tree
steps   gingerly
through
the forest undergrowth

walks     across      the swamp

   and comes
right up     close    to us

the road is

there

along the
fresh waters
and
radiant      butterflies

    precisely
narrow enough
that    you    have to walk
on the leaves of the trees

we sway
     between the pine trees
on        paths     of     light

we arrive
where        the sea
    is stuck to
the forests

and         slow down
better
to        see

Here is water mint
And       dahlia anemones

swaying

between       the fields

quiet     and     mild

and     we live
like   the mushrooms
hidden under    wheat
and     misty rain

vulnerable

in a fleck of sun

flutters

a sense of

insects

once,     we were
green
and
slow

like oak woods

now we are

                                                                                                                      refined
                                                                                                                       frozen
                                                                                                                          blue

sleep is

wild and

alive

the sky

is

barren

We     are    here
still
alone      and    outlawed
     with a fear of spring
blossoming in our chests
between        carnations     and     orchids

sometimes
we              find
each other

naked        and         worn out

floating
in the winter darkness

like      leaves     on         water

our body has forgotten
that               we live

the flesh
the skin
the hands

rocking
in
the world

the light leans in
and        nestles
on            the hair
as a                  crown

I carry
the darkness
in my mouth

                                                                                                                                         and say:

A winter
you    carry with you
                    far   into
                the summer

now          awoke
the scent of          grass

and cried

in    the     first
white        light

like             a             child

And maybe one day
you can
just             be

a           place
where           the sun        kneels down
above           us
and the night is
soft
and           creaky
like             an accordion

light turns into leaves

in time

We lie
in the earth
as            forests
to be

you become

new and beautiful

and          you          grow
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
/ (Untitled)

I go for a walk at the cemetery
eat an ice cream

there's an appeasing rain falling
I and the others are together in it

spring turns to summer
and sometimes there's grief

the boys are racing round the hospital

then it turns into evening
and even though it turns dark the evenings are pleasant

you can go for a bike ride
in a light jacket and long trousers
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
jeg går tur på kirkegården
spiser en is

der er et forsonende regnvejr i gang
jeg og de andre er sammen i det

forår bliver til sommer og nogle
gange er der sorg

drengene kører ræs rundt om hospitalet

så bliver det aften og selvom det bliver
mørkt er aftenerne rare

så man kan cykle en tur i
en let jakke og lange bukser
/ (Untitled)

at night I don't sleep
I'm far away when the day begins

lie in the grass
under the clouds with a book and a bottle of water

I biked up along tagensvej
i heard the birds on the summer breeze, i drive fast
i am alone in the night

in a way this wasn't about me
happiness was something we gave to each other
isn't that lovely to think about

the sun sets
you can still bathe in the sea
the sky turns blue and cool and light
then the sun rises again

the boys set fire to combustible material
they see the waste container melting
a bonfire that spreads
a small sea of plastic in a parking lot
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
om natten sover jeg ikke
jeg er langt væk når dagen går i gang

ligger i græsset
under skyerne med en bog og en flaske vand

jeg cyklede op ad tagensvej
i hear the birds onthe summer breeze, i drive fast
i am alone in the night

på en måde handlede det ikke om mig
lykken var noget vi gav til hinanden
er det ikke dejligt at tænke på

solen går ned
man kan stadig bade i havet
himlen bliver blå og kølig og lys
så kommer solen op igen

drengene sætter ild til småt brændbart
de ser containeren smelte
et bål der breder sig
et lille hav af plastik på en parkeringsplads
/ (Untitled)

I don't know their names
now they lay inside my eyes sparkling

hours went by but the footsteps stopped
the planes carry the memories

the last light tore everything with it
the silence was allowed to grow until it took over everything
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
jeg ved ikke hvad de hed
nu lå de inde i mine øjne og glimtede

timerne gik men skridtene ophørte
flyene bærer minderne

det sidste lys hev alt med sig
stilheden fik lov til at vokse indtil den fyldte det hele
/ (Untitled)

the crows spread their wings in a joint movement
leave a tree
and draw themselves in the light
of a setting sun

it's almost without colours
just light
mist with a leaning
towards evening

a back rising upwards
the knees are held against the chest
and the head resting against the wall

the high-rises lie to the right of the lake
they were built in another time
now the lights were switched on
the crows fly across the lake

nothing else is moving
the crows fly in
settle in the trees
the sun slowly lowers itself
all around the lake there are trees
and the eyes are large
slow ships
they never arrive at anything
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
kragerne spreder vingerne i en samlet bevægelse
forlader et træ
og tegner sig selv i lyset
fra en nedgående sol

det er næsten uden farver
bare lys
dis med en bøjning
mod aften

en ryg der går opad
knæene er holdt ind til brystet
og hovedet hviler mod væggen

højhusene ligger til højre for søen
de blev bygget i en anden tid
nu blev lysene tændt
kragerne flyver ud over søen

der er ikke andet der bevæger sig
kragerne flyver ind
sætter sig i træerne
solen sænker sig langsomt
hele vejen rundt om søen er der træer
og øjnene er store
langsomme skibe
de når ikke frem til noget
/ (Untitled)

in my thoughts we were at tagensborg
I felt rich there
very rich

and I follow a thought going under

sometimes it feels as if you're sitting within my body
and then it hurts

there are nice dreams, but then you wake up
the whole day is sleepy

we're a group of people under a large linden tree
this rain is a mark of the summer
violent and sudden

beautiful as fuck especially when it comes at night
impossible to see through
but it passes
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
vi var på tagensborg i mine tanker
der følte jeg mig rig
meget rig

og jeg følger en tanke gå under

nogle gange føles det som om du sidder i min krop
og så gør det ondt

der er rare drømme, men så vågner man
hele dagen er søvnig

vi er en gruppe mennesker under et stort lindetræ
den her regn er et kendetegn ved sommeren
voldsom og pludselig

smuk som bare fuck især når den kommer om natten
det er ikke til at se igennem
men det driver over
/ (Untitled)

one day is the same as the next

the light rests on the church
the sun shines gingerly

pale bricks and red roofs

the silence that suddenly acted differently
that there was a shell in the messages
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
den ene dag ligner den anden

lyset ligger på kirken
solen skinner forsigtigt

lyse mursten og røde tage

stilheden der pludselig opførte sig anderledes
at der var en skal i beskederne
/ (Untitled)

the sun shines through the window
and up upon the sky
the moon hangs like a smile
soon even more opaque and soon also
all gone

I lick up the traces
after what was

glittering hair in a laundry basket
sweet honey
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
solen skinner ind ad vinduet
og oppe på himlen
hænger månen som et smil
snart endnu mere udvisket og snart også
helt væk

jeg slikker sporene op
efter det der var

glitrende hår i en vasketøjskurv
sød honning
/ (Untitled)

eyes seeing stars for fourteen days

alone in the sleepless nights
longer and longer
lonely hangovers
thought we would be sharing the nightmares

I collect the pictures

to see them and think
this is where I tried to hold on to a happy moment
there, I was happy
there, I was happy
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
stjerner for øjnene i fjorten dage

alene om de søvnløse nætter
længere og længere
ensomme tømmermænd
tænkte vi skulle være fælles om mareridtene

jeg samler på billederne

at se dem og tænke
her forsøgte jeg at fastholde en lykkelig stund
dér var jeg lykkelig
dér var jeg lykkelig
/ (Untitled)

the rain has stopped
the light has settled itself against the flats
the balconies from first to eighth
sometimes there's sun

there's a little coffee left
it's cold
it's turned into evening really
but the day didn't start till late

the birds land
in the grass
sun and then shadow
from the clouds
the leaves are falling off already
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
regnen er stoppet
lyset har lagt sig op ad lejlighederne
altanerne fra første til ottende
nogle gange er der sol

der er lidt kaffe tilbage
den er kold
det er egentlig blevet aften
men dagen gik først sent i gang

fuglene lander
i græsset
sol og så skygge
fra skyerne
bladene falder allerede af
/ (Untitled)

just outside the city
a hand that has closed up
across my eyes
and between the fingers
a starry sky

this feeling of long time
no see
that it could even end like this at all

the moon looks at me through a cloud
I just want to see you
it doesn't matter what time of day it is
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
lige ude af byen
en hånd der har lukket sig
over mine øjne
og mellem de fingre
en stjernehimmel

denne følelse af long time
no see
at det overhovedet kunne ende sådan

månen kigger på mig gennem en sky
jeg vil bare gerne se dig
det er lige meget hvad tid på dagen det er
/ (Untitled)

a plane flying across the sky
it's evening
and then
down below the trees

a hand grasping for
nothing really
but still
took almost everything
with it
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
et fly der flyver henover himlen
det er aften
og så
ned bag træerne

en hånd der griber efter
intet egentligt
men alligevel
fik nærmest det hele
med sig afsted
/ (Untitled)

an extra layer
a thicker coat
hat, gloves

I was so nervous
look, the sun has set before four o'clock
look at the sun, it's all gone

this is how we met:
drank beer
you found me in a haystack, a snowdrift
a pile of leaves during autumn break
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
et ekstra lag
en større jakke
hue, handsker

jeg var så nervøs
se, solen er gået ned før klokken fire
se solen, den er helt væk

vi mødtes sådan her:
drak øl
du fandt mig i en høstak, en snedrive
en bunke af blade i efterårsferien
/ (Untitled)

love runs away like a horse
goes to bed late and gets up early

far away you can hear the sea
saying that everything goes on

the evening arrives
turning the sky rosy pink

there are lights on in some of the windows
we humans emerge

me drawing a heart
on top of your heart
with a marker
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
kærligheden løber væk som en hest
går sent i seng og står tidligt op

langt væk kan man høre havet
fortælle at alting går videre

aftenen kommer
gør himlen lyserød

der er lys i nogle af vinduerne
vi mennesker træder frem

mig der tegner et hjerte
oven på dit hjerte
med en tusch
/ (Untitled)

these days remind me of you

the leaves are already falling off

the sun shines
runs like juice from a peach
between the fingers
and forms a lake
in the hand
me licking your hand

far above the city

the sun trembles above the rooftops
hauling out the pictures
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
de her dage minder mig om dig

bladene falder allerede af

solen skinner
løber som saft fra en fersken
mellem fingrene
og danner en sø
i hånden
mig der slikker din hånd

langt over byen

solen dirrer over hustagene
hiver billederne frem
/ (Untitled)

the sun sets
blots out everything

then the lights of the cars are turned on

it's a cooler light

the sound of a moped, of lonely walks
geese cackling in the sunset
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
solen går ned
tværer alt ud

så bliver bilernes lygter tændt

det er et køligere lys

lyden af en knallert, af ensomme gåture
gæs der skræpper i solnedgangen
/ (Untitled)

a picture I took of your hand
the phone opens up a room
pushes the night away
what you reach out for
no matter what
one day it flies away

like the birds
through the evening

and the horizon holds all colours right now
a foot poking out from the darkness
as if it was an eiderdown
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
et billede jeg tog af din hånd
telefonen åbner et rum
skubber natten væk
det man rækker ud efter
lige meget hvad
en dag flyver det væk

ligesom fuglene
igennem aftenen

og horisonten har alle farver lige nu
en fod der stikker ud af mørket
som om det var en dyne
/ (Untitled)

the pictures descend
like a hand
over the eyes
so you can't see
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
billederne lægger sig
som en hånd
over øjnene
så man ikke kan se
/ (Untitled)

the crows settle in the branches
a forest has grown
people disappear behind the trees
it's grown dark too
I look at the lake
the water is deep, it's like a mirror
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
kragerne sætter sig i grenene
der er vokset en skov frem
folk forsvinder bag træerne
det er også blevet mørkt
jeg kigger på søen
vandet er dybt, det er ligesom et spejl
/ (Untitled)

in a kitchen smelling of toast

eating dates
and thinking of a tip for the traveller:
don't

heaven laughs at you

it's memories of
open nights
whole 24 hour days like that

there were
waves inside those eyes

a boat floated in your hand
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
i et køkken der dufter af ristet brød

spiser dadler
og tænker på et tip til den rejsende:
lad være

himlen griner af dig

det er minder om
åbne nætter
hele døgn på den måde

der var
bølger inde i øjnene

der flød en båd i din hånd
/ (Untitled)

paint a picture for me boy
with the skies forever blue

in a shop window I found
beaming lights
a display of bread and cakes
and we stepped forward into the window pane
I thought: Now I've found the entire world

I could have bought it all
given it to you

I sat on the plane and thought
this here sea below me
it's gigantic
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
paint a picture for me boy
with the skies forever blue

i et butiksvindue fandt jeg
strålende lys
en opstilling af brød og kager
og vi trådte frem i ruden
jeg tænkte: nu har jeg fundet hele verden

jeg kunne have købt det hele
givet det til dig

jeg sad i flyet og tænkte
det her hav under mig
det er enormt
/ (Untitled)

the days no longer what they were

the look in your eyes within the picture

the sound of an alarm crumbled up what we knew
what we 'd lived in
we didn't sleep

now nothing moves on

under a lamp
there's a room
it is calm
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
dagene ligner ikke sig selv

dit blik inde i billedet

lyden af en alarm krøllede det vi kendte
det vi havde boet i
vi sov ikke

nu kommer ingenting videre

under en lampe
er der et rum
det er roligt
/ (Untitled)

the sun shines through the window

a summer is a mirror
all days pointing at each other

lies can buy eternity

I cut my hair and changed my clothes
tried on a sea of sweaters
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
solen skinner ind ad vinduet

en sommer er et spejl
alle dage peger på hinanden

lies can buy eternity

jeg klippede mit hår og skiftede tøj
prøvede et hav af trøjer
/ (Untitled)

the night is dark and open

the planes appear like lights

heading towards the coast like speeding stars
each and every one holding a promise

I sit on a swing until I walk home
for a long time, I can hear the waves
the water breaking the silence, that it's silent once more
it's like laughter in the dark

there are hands made of water
there are hundreds of them
they lace their fingers underneath the sand
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
natten er mørk og åben

flyene dukker op som lys

på vej mod kysten som hurtige stjerner
hver og et med et løfte

jeg sidder på en gynge indtil jeg går hjem
længe kan jeg høre bølgerne
vandet der bryder tavsheden, at der bliver stille igen
det er ligesom latter i mørket

der er hænder der er lavet af vand
der er hundrede af dem
de fletter fingre under sandet
/ (Untitled)

the boys lie with some space between them
the dreams draw a map
the land's called why not and there they can meet
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
drengene ligger med en afstand imellem sig
drømmene tegner et kort
landet hedder why not og der kan de mødes
/ (Untitled)

I can see the moon

there's a dog barking
the villas can hold a great misery
I think of the days after school

tonight the veins are fairy string lights
I don't land on my feet

just say goodnight and go

the dogs bark
because the night
is evil
and impossible to endure

rounds around the lake
are fingers on my forehead

palms stroking my hair
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
jeg kan se månen

der er en hund der gør
villaerne kan rumme en stor ulykke
jeg tænker på dagene efter skole

i nat er årerne lyskæder
jeg lander ikke på fødderne

just say goodnight and go

hundene gør
fordi natten
er ond
og ikke til at være i

runder om søen
er fingre i panden

håndflader der stryger håret
/ (Untitled)

a bird stands in the grass looking at me
the lake lies behind it

everything has already shifted

a pointing gesture
without any fingers

another time
on minor roads

small bikes
en route to friends
joysticks in small hands, pushing
rolling thumbs
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
der står en fugl i græsset og kigger på mig
søen ligger bag den

alt har allerede flyttet sig

en pegende gestus
der ikke har fingre

en anden tid
ad mindre veje

små cykler
på vej til venner
joysticks i små hænder, skubbende
rullende tommelfingre
/ (Untitled)

under the lamps

in the lights calm falls

fruits land in water
and becomes a bath

a chat isn't disturbing

I go for a walk as the snow falls
the light splits the whole time
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
under lamperne

i lysene samler roen sig

frugter lander i vand
og bliver til et bad

en chat er ikke forstyrrende

jeg går tur mens sneen daler
lyset deler sig hele tiden
/ (Untitled)

the sun is light and green
it lies across the lake

I wanted only to look down into the water
my eyes were all wet

winter came
my eyelids froze shut
then I could only see you

the day is a hood, a hole
a sea I pull my head into
every day the same clothes
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
solen er let og grøn
den ligger over søen

jeg havde kun lyst til at kigge ned i vandet
mine øjne var helt våde

det blev vinter
mine øjenlåg frøs fast
så kunne jeg kun se dig

dagen er en hætte, et hul
et hav jeg trækker hovedet ind i
hver dag det samme tøj
/ (Untitled)

the sun is hidden behind a grey sky

I think it was the distance
that split us apart

things change
when we talk about them
they'll surely turn beautiful

once I saw you
in a mirror
with golden framing
at the victoria & albert
in a room that was dusty and full of people

time is long like a motorway
the sun shines

it's been almost a year
everything is the same
it just looks like something else
Translated by J. A. Rosendal
solen er gemt bag en grå himmel

jeg tror det var afstanden
der skilte os ad

tingene ændrer sig
når vi taler om dem
så skal de nok blive smukke

jeg så dig engang
i et spejl
med gyldne kanter
på victoria and albert
i et rum der var støvet og fuldt af mennesker

tiden er lang som en motorvej
solen skinner

der er næsten gået et år
alting er det samme
det ligner bare noget andet

J. A. Rosendal

Translated by J. A. Rosendal

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