Svante No. 5 Song

LONGING FOR SWEDEN

I stand here and gaze at the Swedish coast

and long for its mountains and skerries.

My heart is jumpy, it flutters almost,

wants to be on the first of the ferries

                      to banish all that pains me

                      let birchtree groves sustain me

                      where smiling girls endear...

                      but I am stuck right here

                                                   if not I’ll end up sea-sick.

It feels just like seeing the far promised land

all flowing with milk and with money,

where life the ragings of time can withstand

and where Bellman’s songs are like honey

                      where lingon sprigs assorted

                      in birchtree groves are sported

                      but I am stuck right here

                      a quayside overseer

                                                  if not I’ll end up sea-sick.

I stand in a country neurotic and small

where people are smiling and crazy.

The Swedes do a great deal we can’t do at all,

they’re so neutral and not ’cos they’re lazy

                      and their sound limbs displaying

                      in birchtree groves are playing

                      they’re brimful of ideas

                      while I just fade out here

                                                    if not I’ll end up sea-sick.

My ashes shall sail back to Sweden’s land

be scattered in every direction

so I’ll be transported from strand to strand

and maybe at last find perfection

                      where roots can thrive and flourish

                      in birchtree groves that nourish

                      but till that day is near

                      I guess I’m stuck right here

                                                   if not I’ll end up sea-sick.