Sunday 5 April 2009

Of Course It Hurts

Of course it hurts when buds burst.
Otherwise why would spring hesitate?
Why would all our fervent longing
be bound in the frozen bitter haze?
The bud was the casing all winter.
What is this new thing, which consumes and bursts?
Of course it hurts when buds burst,
pain for that which grows
and for that which envelops.

Of course it is hard when drops fall.
Trembling with fear they hang heavy,
clammer on the branch, swell and slide -
the weight pulls them down, how they cling.
Hard to be uncertain, afraid and divided,
hard to feel the deep pulling and calling,
yet sit there and just quiver -
hard to want to stay and
to want to fall.

Then, at the point of agony and when all is beyond help,
the tree's buds burst as if in jubilation,
then, when fear no longer exists,
the branch's drops tumble in a shimmer,
forgetting that they were afraid of the new,
forgetting that they were fearful of the journey -
feeling for a second their greatest security,
resting in the trust
that creates the world.





Ja visst gör det ont när knoppar brister.
Varför skulle annars våren tveka?
Varför skulle all vår heta längtan
bindas i det frusna bitterbleka?
Höljet var ju knoppen hela vintern.
Vad är det för nytt, som tär och spränger?
Ja visst gör det ont när knoppar brister,
ont för det som växer
och det som stänger.Align Right

Ja nog är det svårt när droppar faller.
Skälvande av ängslan tungt de hänger,
klamrar sig vid kvisten, sväller, glider -
tyngden drar dem neråt, hur de klänger.
Svårt att vara oviss, rädd och delad,
svårt att känna djupet dra och kalla,
ändå sitta kvar och bara darra -
svårt att vilja stanna
och vilja falla.

Då, när det är värst och inget hjälper,
Brister som i jubel trädets knoppar.
Då, när ingen rädsla längre håller,
faller i ett glitter kvistens droppar
glömmer att de skrämdes av det nya
glömmer att de ängslades för färden -
känner en sekund sin största trygghet,
vilar i den tillit
som skapar världen.



Karin Boye 1935

38 comments:

dianne said...

Lovely poem by Karin Boyle, I guess we never think of the feelings of buds bursting forth into flowers after protecting petals all Winter long and and how tentatively droplets cling to brances unitl Spring has arrrived. ♡

puerileuwaite said...

I think we are violent because we emulate nature.

Nature should be more of a role model.

imac said...

Beautiful words by Karin Boyle,
even more Beautiful coming from you in your Beautiful posts.

Yoga Gal said...

Lovely poem! Spring in L.A. the land of never ending sunshine, it's hard to feel the true power of the Spring season.

whimsical brainpan said...

Lovely!

I know it is truly spring here. I spent time outdoors yesterday and couldn't breathe through my nose.

ANNA-LYS said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ANNA-LYS said...

Sadly Karin Boye committed suicide
in April, at the age of 40 years
(1941), by taking an overdose of
sleeping-pills. She (her body) was
found in the nature, close to a
large stone. Her lover also
committed suicide a short time
after Karin Boye death.

Spring is a sensitive time, in
many senses, not always for the
better.

This poem is the most famous of
her great work, on this Earth.

ANNA-LYS said...

Dianne
Wonder, if it was the buds she meant, or her inner feelings?
She was schooled in psychoanalytic semiotics, highly aware of symbolic symbols.

ANNA-LYS said...

Pug
Absolutely!
I wish we could live in unison with nature and its acceptance of natural variations, cycles and living.
But, add it with more care for the significant other, a very lovely capacity, that today compete with power and money.

ANNA-LYS said...

Imac
I am growing dependent on You flatter, hope You don't matter!
:-D

ANNA-LYS said...

Yoga gal
You got a point there!
Lot's of places all around the world, doesn't feel this changes.
Does it make You people more stable?, or less sensitive?

ANNA-LYS said...

Whimsy
ohhh, sorry, forgot Your allergy!
must be a real hard time for You!

Ruela said...

Lovely poem Anna!




bjs.

ANNA-LYS said...

Ruela
Obrigado!
Likeways, even if You write with artful installation, I think we both have captured a nearby emotion?

(( bjs ))

darkfoam said...

this point in nature is like an irresistable moment of hope that can't be denied. sometimes i feel it within, grasp it, sometimes it stays, sometimes it eludes me like that droplet of water ..

Little Lamb said...

Spring is a nice season.

ArneA said...

Long time - no see
Lovely to be back here with you.
Have a great time
Spring is here to stay

ANNA-LYS said...

Foam
Well put!
Thank You <3


Little Lamb
I guess the grass is greener ;-)


Arne A
Hej
Tack härlig att se dig igen
hoppas allt är bra med Dig.
Ha en underbar vårtid!

Gunnar said...

Hej
Tack för vårhälsningen!
Karin Boye is my favourite female poet. Dan Andersson is the best male one.
It is a lovely April day inmy hometown. Spring at last!
i-)

boneman said...

And, in Indiana, where we got some warmer times which drew out many buds/leaves...now comes a freezing again for two days.
Those that flowered will brown and fall away, but, the leaves will carry only a brown singe around each individual leaf...

I guess it doesn't matter whether it 'felt safe' to erupt or not. Coming out of the fear altogether seems a better route, anyway.

Rune Eide said...

Velkommen tilbake - hadde ikke fått det med meg - og for sent til konkurransen om Diana Krall; en av mine favoritter.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

If 70 years have passed since the authour died, it is OK to publish her poems. Or else, the Antipirates will put you in gaol. Karin Boye died 1941, in april. See you!
/NB

laughingwolf said...

lovely, thank you...

Hannele på Hisingen said...

Jag bara njuter av ljuset och värmen,
kram.

Mary Elizabeth said...

Lovely poem! Thank you.
Congrats for nomination Post of the Day @ Authorblog.

Mary ElizabethBlog.

ANNA-LYS said...

Thank You very much, indeed <3

Cheffie-Mom said...

Congrats on Post of the Day from Authorblog. I enjoyed reading your post.

Cath said...

Thank you for highlighting her work. Beautiful poem, full of growth and pain.

Congrats on POTD at authorblog too. And we often meet at Laughing Wolf's. :)

ANNA-LYS said...

Thanks Cheffie-Mom and Cath, and most welcome to my little blog!

Anonymous said...

Thanks to David at authorblog for showing us the way to this beautiful post and to a poem that speaks so well of the pain of life, the pain of creation.

I will be back to read more.

boneman said...

I just found out that it's a 'table of contents' of sorts.
I thought it just a toy, but, noticed the box appearing sometimes....

WOW!

Really cool!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful words, a lovely poem.

CJ xx

ANNA-LYS said...

Gunnar Dan Andersson is great as well, but, Karin Boye is the greatest. Vårhälsningar till Karlstad :-)

Boneman Poor buds it must hurt a lot when freezing.

Rune Bättre sent än aldrig, synd bara att du missade Diana Krall. Tack för välkomsthälsningen!

ANNA-LYS said...

Tykot Thanks for the Pirate reminder :-)


Laughingwolf Thank You, this might goes for little puppies also ;-)


Hannele Njut du, skäms inte ett dug ;-)

ANNA-LYS said...

Mary Elisabeth Thank You for telling me about it :-D
I am honoured!!!


Moannie Thank You very much, indeed, and welcome back!


Boneman Not sure I follow Your thought here?

ANNA-LYS said...

Crystal Jigsaw Yes, it is. I am happy to be able to share it with You, she was a great poetisa.

ANNA-LYS said...

and it still hurts :-(