Friday 28 December 2012

Another Benny Andersen poem


Diet

Prawns give you dry corneas
grease brings you out in spots
pancakes lie too heavy in your belly
streaky bacon isn’t good for the heart
fish isn’t good for the butcher
chicken isn’t good for the chicken
meat rissoles aren’t good for anything
avoid sago soup if you’re pregnant
avoid onions if you’re married
sweet is sinful
sour is dangerous
salt shortens your life
bitter spins it out
jam gives you floppy ears
hash makes your swimming bladder contract
egg makes your arms go lopsided
cheese affects your sense of smell
horseradish affects your taste
biscuits affect your hearing
radishes restrict your horizon
peas halt your development
cauliflower blocks the view
breakfast spoils your appetite
night snacks whet it
food isn’t good for the stomach
life is unhealthy
gulp
gulp
gulp

4 comments:

Unknown said...

THANKS FOR THESE ANDERSEN POEMS— NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY MORE USA POETS AND READERS NEVER PICKED UP ON HIM FOR HIS CHARM AND COMIC PERSONA AND ACCESSIBILITY . . .

John Irons said...

dear bill,

there are more benny andersen poems o the blog - check the index for upload dates.

the most famous work he has written is 'svantes viser' (08.09.12) a saga of an alcoholic swede trapped in denmark, with songs sung by poul dissing. check youtube for songs. he is by far the most-read poet in denmark, and his collected poems come in a massive tome of almost 1200 pages.

Unknown said...

thanks, I am going to do a post about Andersen on my blog, and will link to your index . . . I used to urge my students to read the Alexander Taylor translations from Princeton published in 1975 . . . that book and another called "Cosmopolitan in Denmark" (trans Cynthia La Touche Andersen) are the only ones I know ... but what USA readers love in Billy Collins for example is also there full blast in Andersen, and if an astute USA publisher would see that and do a large selection in English . . . it seems like the small presses are only interested in trans of "avantgarde" poets, and the large presses don't care . . .

John Irons said...

i'm afraid i don't know. the only recordings i have heard are the 'svantes viser' ones.