Tomas Transtromer’s The Clearing

August 22, 2020 at 12:10 am (Weather)
Tags: Fridays, poetry, Swedish writers, translation

The sky is whitish haze and it is intensely hot. The nearest fire is 0% contained. Stay inside! the radio says. Until we give the order to evacuate.

Self is reading Tomas Transtromer.

(Also, praying. Does she feel lucky?)

Excerpt from The Clearing

— translated by Robin Fulton

Deep in the forest there’s an unexpected clearing that can be reached only by someone who has lost his way.

The clearing is enclosed in a forest that is choking itself. Black trunks with the ashy beard stubble of lichen.