Jul 17, 2007

A little poetry from Finland and Russia

Some discoveries are too good to keep to oneself. Here is a selection of poetry found during and just after my wonderful holiday in Helsinki. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.



If you love, love madly
If you threaten, threaten seriously
If you hurt, hurt in anger only
If you hit, hit with all your force
If you argue, argue bravely
If you punish, you should have a reason


When you forgive, forgive with all your heart
When you celebrate, celebrate till dawn

Aleksei K. Tolstoi



Niin kuin aalto uittaa aallon
yli valtameren,
niin selviydymme mekin
toinen toisiamme tukien.

Just as one wave carries another wave
Across the ocean,
So we, too, survive
One supporting the other.

Risto Rasa



Sano heti jos minä häiritsen,
hän sanoi astuessaan ovesta sisään,
niin minä lähden saman tien pois.

Sinä et ainoastaan häiritse,
minä vastasin,
sinä järkytät koko minun olemustani.
Tervetuloa.


Tell me immediately if I'm disturbing you,
He said, coming in the door,
And I will leave right away.


You not only disturb,
I answered,
You shake my whole being.
Welcome.

Eeva Kilpi



Nukkumaan käydessä ajattelen:
Huomenna minä lämmitän saunan,
pidän itseäni hyvänä,
kävelytän, uitan, pesen,
kutsun itseni iltateelle,
puhuttelen ystävällisesti ja ihaillen, kehun:
Sinä pieni urhea nainen,
minä luotan sinuun.


Going to sleep, I think:
Tomorrow I will heat up the sauna,
Pamper myself,
Walk, swim, wash,
Invite myself to evening tea,

Speak to myself in a friendly and admiring way, praising:
You brave little woman,
I believe in you.

Eeva Kilpi



Sinun jäljiltäsi katson itseäni;
silmieni ympärillä onnelliset poimut.

After you, I look at myself;
Around my eyes, happy wrinkles.

Eeva Kilpi


5 comments:

Amber_Palowakski said...

Beautiful!

Eladrienne Laval said...

"You not only disturb, I answered, You shake my whole being..." That one moved me the most.

Those were wonderful!

Eva Bellambi said...

Yes, Miss Laval, the verses that had the most meaning for me were:

You not only disturb, I answered, You shake my whole being. Welcome.

and

After you, I look at myself;
Around my eyes, happy wrinkles.


True words...beautifully written.

Hotspur O'Toole said...

I particularly loved:

If you love, love madly
If you threaten, threaten seriously
If you hurt, hurt in anger only
If you hit, hit with all your force
If you argue, argue bravely
If you punish, you should have a reason

When you forgive, forgive with all your heart
When you celebrate, celebrate till dawn


and

Tell me immediately if I'm disturbing you,
He said, coming in the door,
And I will leave right away.

You not only disturb,
I answered,
You shake my whole being.
Welcome.


(particularly the last word.. subtle but very telling). Who knew people from such a Northern latitude could be so passionate? :-D

H.

Sir Tele said...

These are fantastic!

Sincere thanks for posting them.

Sir Tele