Thursday, 12 June 2025

Hans Christian Andersen: 'See de andre unge Ørne flyve'


 

Mandag [Slagelse,14. November 1825]

Kom daarlig fra mine Lexer og jeg troede dog jeg kunde dem. Mismod — jeg kan ikke giøre det bedre, nu bliver han vred vranten mod mig jeg taber Modet og alt gaaer galt, o de[t] bliver til Intet, jeg skal aldrig blive til Noget. —

 

See de andre unge Ørne flyve

Op mod Solen bades i dens Straaler

Medens Mængden undrende beseer det.

Herligt synge de fra Klippens Tinde

Om den svundne Old og om Naturen

Men jeg sidder fængslet her bag Muren

Dybt i Støvet uden Kraft og Vinge

Kan man ei mod Lyset svinge,

Tør ei synge skiøndt min hele Siæl

Higer mod det reene Gude væld.

Mange, mange seer jeg ile frem

Men ak ikke jeg tør følge dem!

 

 

Monday [Slagelse, 14 November 1825]

My homework test went off badly – and I thought I knew it all. Am completely discouraged – I can’t do any better, now he’ll be angry with me and I’ll lose courage and everything will go wrong, Oh, it will all come to nothing, I’ll never become anything. –

 

See the other eagles upwards soaring

Up to sun’s bright rays where they are bathing

While the crowd below in wonder watches.

Splendidly they sing from cliff-face summits

Of past ages and of nature’s raptures,

While I sit here, walled in, as if captured,

In the dust, unable to be winging,

One can never up to light be swinging

Dare not sing though I with all my soul

Yearn for realms divine to make me whole.

Many, many I see forwards shoot,

But, alas, don’t dare to follow suit!




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