Friday 29 January 2016

Poem by the Swedish poet Carl Snoilsky (1841-1903)

Gammalt porslin

En kung i Sachsen samlade porslin,
       Men samlingsvurmen blef en riktig sjuka.
       Han bytte bort till kungen i Berlin
       Sitt garde – tänk – mot en kinesisk kruka!

Femhundra man med sabel och karbin,
       Som preussarn visste att förträffligt bruka,
       I exercisen smidiga och mjuka,
       I krig en mur, tänk, mot – en blå terrin!

Femhundra man med hårpung och med puder!
       Slikt dårhusdåd allt vanvett öfverbjuder
       Från världens början – ja, så tycker ni.

Se’n bytet gjordes, har ett sekel svunnit:
       Femhundra tappra hjärtan brista hunnit,
       Den gamla krukan – hon står ännu bi.


Old china

A king in Saxony collected china,
       This untamed urge though threatened to derange.
       For with the Berlin king he went on to exchange
       His guards – well! – since a Chinese vase was finer.

Five hundred men who with carbine and sabre
       – Their use the Prussian knew quite by routine –
       At drill were smooth and stylish in their labour,
       In war a wall, well! – for a blue tureen.

Five hundred men with chignon and with powder!
       No madman’s act to heaven could cry louder
       Since time began – yes, you think this a fact.

A century has passed since this proceeding:
       Five hundred valiant hearts have ceased their beating,
       The vase in question – it is still intact.


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