Wednesday 10 July 2019

Bull in bullish mood!

Chopin i sideværelset

Den skurk, nu spiller han igjen Chopin,
mens jeg skal skrive en av mine sange!
For fan, nu kan jeg skrive ned i flæng;
nu blir det bleke tøv med et til klange;
nu voldtar tonen dette arme ordet,
og som et orgel skjælver skrivebordet!

Min pen blir taktstok til hans melodier,
Chopin og jeg blir brødre — og genier;
et sælsomt yndigt rosenflor gror ud
paa tonestængler i papirets have;
men stanser han et øieblik — o Gud,
min store uransagelige Gud —
da visner alle over hvide grave!


Chopin in the adjoining room

The scoundrel’s playing Chopin once again,
while I’ve a song that I would be composing!
Goddammit, inspiration floods my brain – 
pale nonsense into sounds I'm now transposing;
each note by force this helpless word is taking,
and like an organ my poor desk is shaking.

My pen’s a baton for his tunes created,
my mind with Chopin’s genius is mated;
roses of beauty rare unfold and nod
on note-stems in a paper-garden bower;
but should he for a moment stop – oh God,
my mighty and unfathomable God –
they wither over white graves, every flower!


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