A Child Is Not a Knife: Selected Poems of Goran Sonnevi
Göran Sonnevi is one of Sweden's most celebrated, respected, and prolific poets. For this first book-length selection of Sonnevi to appear in English, Rika Lesser has chosen works written between 1971 and 1989—although most of the poems come from the last decade and from Sonnevi's last three books, which form part of the single oändlig [unending/infinite/interminable] poem that he continues to write from book to book. Of Lesser's introduction to the work, Richard Howard writes, "Lesser's...
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"Göran Sonnevi's presence in Swedish poetry of this century is a powerful one. He holds to creatures such as birds and worms and to the patterns of politics with the same passion. He won't turn his eyes away from the delights of sensual married life or the horror of capitalism. At his best, he is a sensuous, ethical poet, a surprising union. Rika Lesser's translations are skillful and true."--Robert Bly"Through the power of Rika Lesser's brilliant translations, Göran Sonnevi's poetry is shown to be what it is: the work of one of the world's major poets."--Lawrence Joseph
AcknowledgmentsGoran Sonnevi: An IntroductionSonnevi: A Translator's Retrospective MontageKoster, 19733Whose life? you asked15the hyacinth17Dyron; 198118Summer has turned now And I go21Seeing your smile23Mourning Cloak25Words have no limits30I said to you33The twilight of spring rain37You say I'm naive38You, who say yes to39Demon colors40For S***, 197143There is life that / will not give up45You sense the light's fragrance46The wound bleeding48A Child Is Not a Knife49Breaking up: that large feeling52in the meadow by the shore57Incalculable: the heart59Death is no more60The narrow shaft61Fagerfjall, Tjorn, 1986; For Pentti62Aby, Oland; 198264what / do I find / then67From the cliff at the foot of Skull Mountain70New Year's 198673The center of unheard-of, of enormous hopes75Burge, Oja; 198979Notes87Swedish Contents and Bibliographical Citations93
