Thursday, 16 September 2010

A poem by the Norwegian poet Thor Sørheim


KEEN-SENSED CHILD

I listened to the hymn-singing and the sexton
creaking in the chancel, I shot side-glances
at freethinker Frederik who always followed
the vicar obediently home to Sunday dinner,

I was a thoughtful child that during the sermon
could wonder if it was to be a move forward or
back to start in the game that was set out
on the living-room table, Christ came ever

closer during the ‘Crown Him, Crown Him’,
and when the grown-ups closed their eyes
on the rim of the chalice, I decided to
approach the future from the other side.

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