Aboutkarinafp Expertise I`m a teacher from and in Sweden. I teach Swedish as well as English, French, Spanish and music. I`m also rather good at finding information on the Internet.
Experience I've been an expert at askme.com, and was rated # 1 in the "Language" category. Must have been doing something right, then...
Expert: karinafp Date: 3/29/2008 Subject: Swedish love poems
Question Hi,
I am traveling to a friend's wedding in Sweden later in the year. I am currently trying to learn a little Swedish, and would love to learn a love poem by Gustav Froding or similar to surprise the bride. Do you know of any that may suit (not too long!). I would be very grateful if you could recommend one, and if possible give me a translation so I know what I'm saying!
Alternatively, if you had a translation in Swedish of "He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven" by our Irish poet W.B. Yeats this would be great, as she loves Yeats.
Thanking you in advance...
DM
Answer Wow, this gave me a lot of thoughts... a Swedish love poem, not too long. How about this one, a personal favourite, by Karin Boye:
Du är min renaste tröst
Du är min renaste tröst,
du är mitt fastaste skydd,
du är det bästa jag har,
ty intet gör ont som du.
Nej, intet gör ont som du.
Du svider som is och eld,
du skär som ett stål min själ --
du är det bästa jag har.
An English translation by Jenny Nunn goes like this:
You Are My Purest Comfort
You are my purest comfort,
my most steadfast shelter,
you are the best I have,
for nothing hurts as much as you.
No, nothing hurts as you.
You ache like ice and fire,
you cut like steel my soul -
you are the best I have.
Or this one, also by Boye:
Hur kan jag säga...
Hur kan jag säga om din röst är vacker.
Jag vet ju bara, att den genomtränger mig
och kommer mig att darra som ett löv
och trasar sönder mig och spränger mig.
Vad vet jag om din hud och dina lemmar.
Det bara skakar mig att de är dina,
så att för mig finns ingen sömn och vila,
tills de är mina.
Jenny Nunn's translation:
How Can I Tell ...
How can I tell if your voice is beautiful.
I only know, that it penetrates me
and makes me shake like a leaf
and tears me to shreds and splits me.
What do I know about your skin and limbs.
It makes me tremble that they are yours,
so for me there is no sleep or rest,
till they are mine
