Cornelis Vreeswijk: 'En visa om arton svanar'

A SONG ABOUT EIGHTEEN SWANS

I dreamt about eighteen swans late last night

and I dreamt about you as well.

You asked me for eighteen kisses last night

and I had all those, I could tell.

Sing softly, sing lightly,

say would you wish slightly

I’d opened my eyes so

the dream was no more

and our shared look was still in store?

I saw you from my window yesterday

but you didn’t see me at all.

You passed right by my window yesterday

and were soon beyond beck and call.

Sing softly, sing lightly,

say would you wish slightly

I’d opened my window

before you’d passed by

and our shared look none could deny?

There’s rain falling into my dream today,

my umbrella I give to you.

And where are you off to, my lovely friend

beneath clouds oh so grey in hue?

Sing softly, sing lightly,

say would you wish slightly

that I’d gone on my way

well, I don’t quite know where

and in rain left you standing there?

To see the original Swedish text, go to here