Section: «Poems»

Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings: artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.); a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").

The Call

Come calf now to mother,Come lamb that I choose,Come cats, one and t' other,With snowy-white shoes,Come gosling all yellow,Come forth with your..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Johan Ludvig Heiberg 1860

To the grave they bore him sleeping,Him the aged, genial gardener;Now the children gifts are heapingFrom the flower-bed he made.There the tree that..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Marit's Song

"Dance!" called the fiddle,Its strings loudly giggled,The bailiff's man wriggledAhead for a spree."Hold!" shouted OlaAnd tripped him to tumbling,The..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Hamar-Made Matches

'Here your Hamar-made matches!'-Of them these verses I sang;A thought to which humor attaches,But yet to my heart sparks sprang.Sparks from the..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

King Frederik The Seventh

Our King is bereft of a trusty friend!And in dismayWe lower our banners and sad attendOn his burial day.But Denmark, in sorrow most deep thou..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Kaare's Song

KAAREWhat wakens the billows, while sleeps the wind?What looms in the west released?What kindles the stars, ere day's declined,Like fires for death's..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Magnus The Blind

'Oh, let me look once again and seeStarlight the heavens o'ersweeping!'Begged young Magnus on bended knee,It was sore to see.All the women afar were..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Olaf Trygvason

Broad the sails o'er the North Sea go;High on deck in the morning glowErling Skjalgsson from SoleScans all the sea toward Denmark:'Cometh never Olaf..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Norwegian Students' Greeting With A Procession To Professor Welhaven

Hear us, O age-laden singer!Streams of your tones are returning,Touching your heart!Spirit of youth is their bringer,Under your window with..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Lector Thaasen

I read once of a flower that lonely grew,Apart, with trembling stem and pale of hue;The mountain-world of cold and strifeGave little lifeAnd less of..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Norse Nature

(In Ringerike During The Student Meeting Of 1869)We wander and sing with gleeOf glorious Norway, fair to see.Let sweetly the tones go twiningIn..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Ivar Ingemundson's Lay

Wherefore have I longings,When to live them strength is lacking?And wherefore see I,If I see but sorrow?Flight of my eye to the great and..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

The Maiden's Song

Good-morning, sun, 'mid the leaves so green --Mind of youth in the dales' deep reaches,Smile that brightens their somber speeches,Heaven's gold on..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Our Country 1859

A land there is, lying near far-northern snow,Where only the fissures life's springtime may know.But surging, the sea tells of great deeds done,And..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Rallying Song For Freedom In The North To

Dishonored by the higher, but loved by all the low,-Say, is it not the pathway that the new has to go?By those who ought to guard it betrayed, oh..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Song

Song brings us light with the power of lendingGlory to brighten the work that we find;Song brings us warmth with the power of rendingRigor and frost..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Those With Me

As on I drive, in my heart joy dwellsOf Sabbath silence with sound of bells.The sun liftsallthat is living, growing,God's love itself in its symbol..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To My Wife

(With a set of Roman Pearls)Pray, take these pearls!-and my thanks for themYou lavished, the home of my youth to gem!The thousands of hours of..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To Johan Sverdrup

When now my song selects and praisesYour forceful name, think not it raisesThe rallying-flag for battle near;The street-fight shall not reach us..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Romsdal

Come up on deck! The morning is clear,-Memory wakes, as the landmarks appear.How many the islands, green and cheery,The salt-licking skerries..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Song Of Freedom To

Freedom's father-power strong,Freedom's mother-wrath and song.Giant-stout, a youth self-taught,Soon a giant's work he wrought.Ever he, full of..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

The Spinner

Oh, what was it he meantBy his question as he went?'I am making a loom,'T will be up in April's bloom;If you think it may be,Spin for me!'Oh, what..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Mountain Song

When you will the mountains roamAnd your pack are making,Put therein not much from home,Light shall be your taking!Drag no valley-fetters strongTo..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Hymn Of The Puritans

Arm me, Lord, my strength redouble,Heaven open, heed my trouble!God, if my cause Thine shall be,Grant a day of victory!Fell all Thy foes now!Fell all..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To Johan Dahl, Bookdealer

(On His Sixtieth Birthday)Our glasses we lift now and drink to our host!'Hurrah!'Give heed to our ditty, we sing you our toast!'Aha!'The first thing..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson