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.