Hurdy-Gurdy Poem by Thomas Boberg

I just sit harmlessly hoping
and thud there it falls
what was that she shouts
it was an apple I shout
there are two forces
not asking anything particular of us
so let's have a song she says
I take out a dull knife
and hone it on my wrinkle in the mirror
so I break out a song
there's a third force
not asking anything particular of us either
what's going on she shouts
then I lift my voice
and let out a song that sounds like
shavings getting grated by an iron heel
and the three forces reach out at each other
and cross arbitrarily
at a certain spot
I can't hear what you're singing she shouts
By all means I mime
and the place is you
and you are in motion
and at one point in time you meet a mysterious lady
and she says you will come into money
that sounds good you say
and a great love she says
that sounds good you say
but the money will leave you
you don't say anything
and the love will leave you
you don't say anything
and what about the rest she asks
celestial scandal I sing
not unhypocritically
and a sword I yell
to cut the line
so the ice floe sails
what did you say she asks
after the third whiskey I get up
with a voice like the wind cutting
itself on a sword
it sounded better in the old days she says
and the beauty,
certainly, by all means
and after that round
you meet a man
with a hurdy-gurdy and a hammer of silver
and what about the rest?
this is the sixth and it's singing
in the circuits
he hits you on the head so the chips
fall upon your eyes
when I set the bottle down
it tips over
tumbling into the sea
that doesn't sound half bad she shouts
but isn't it
too down to earth
by all means clings
the hurdy-gurdy on glass

Translated by Verne Moberg