Olaf Bull: 'Stenen'

Stenen

Jeg var i den yderste evighed, 

bagom de synlige fjerners brand – 

da var det, at nogen imod mig skred 

frem paa en ukjendt stjernes rand. 

Nogen, som bøiet sig frem og lo 

bag slør, som hyllet dens hoved til, 

og holdt en sten i sin ene klo 

og hviskede kold og mild:

“Jeg slipper en sten i himmelrunden, 

den golde sten, jeg her dig tér; 

i næste sekund er den forsvunden; 

den aflader aldrig at falde mer.

Begriber du, usle, hvad jeg gjør? 

Jeg drypper en faldende sten i dit sind; 

jeg saar i dit væsen en uro ind, 

en uro, som aldrig dør.

Hvorhelst du forbrænder i lysets haller, 

i elskov hos kvinder, blandt vaarhvide buske – 

Stenen, som samtidig falder, falder 

i ødets mulm, skal du huske” – – – 

– – – – – – –

                      * * *

Og billedet brast, og jeg sænkedes ned, 

ned paa min seng – jeg vaagnet i sved; 

i bølger af iskold stjernedugg 

hamret mit hjerte, hug i hug –

                      * * *

Men drømmen forblev i mit hjertes nat; 

fra ungdom til moden alder 

søgte mit sind forgjæves at gribe 

den sten, som bestandig falder – 

– – – – – – – –

The stone

I was in the furthest eternity, 

past visible distances’ fire by far – 

when someone I saw was approaching me

on the rim of an unknown star.

Leaning towards me, he laughed behind gauze

that made his head awkward to see,

and held a stone in one of his claws 

and cold and mild whispered to me:

‘I release a stone into vaults of space,

the barren stone I hold out to you;

a split second later it’s gone apace

and will never cease falling anew.

Do you realise, wretch, what this signifies?

I drip into your mind a falling stone;

I sow an unrest that your heart can’t disown,

an unrest that never dies.

Where’er you’re on fire in light’s bright halls,

in love-acts with women, midst bushes in bloom –

You’ll recall the stone, which all the while falls

and falls into fate’s dark gloom’ – – – 

– – – – – – –

                      * * *

And the image shattered, and onto my bed

I was lowered, lowered – I woke in a sweat;

in surges of freezing-cold stellar dew

my heart pounded and pounded anew –

                      * * *

But the dream remained in my own heart’s night; 

my mind sought in vain without stalling

from youth to late manhood to gain a hold

of the stone that forever is falling –

– – – – – – – –