Lögberg-Heimskringla - 02.09.1994, Page 5

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 2. september 1994 • 5
Poet gaining recognition
Aside from the
members of the
Guttormsson
family and many
of the Manitoba
Icelandic community’s most
distinguished members, there
was one guest at the unveiling
of the monument to
Guttormur J. Guttormsson in
Riverton at the end of July (see
story, page one) whose pres-
ence was particularly appro-
priate — the poet Franklin
Johnson.
Franklin is arguably the
best of the living poets in the
Westem Icelandic community.
He writes in both Icelandic
and English. Often in either
language, in the traditional
Icelandic form — a feat that is
almost impossible in English
but which Franklin accom-
plishes with distinction.
In a recent interview he
recalled being asked by an
Icelandic academic to trans-
late Stephan G. Stephansson’s
Sigurdur Trolli into English
and being wamed the first 20
lines or so might well prove
impossible. Franklin did, and
did remarkably quickly. The
technique he used was inge-
nious. He translated them fírst
into English in blank verse
and, using his own poet’s sldll,
redid them in the form that
Stephansson had originally
used.
When he was in Riverton,
Franklin had just recently
retumed from a trip to Iceland
where he went to the confer-
ence at Laugarvatn and visited
the relatives of his father,
Guðmundur Magnús Jónsson.
Two of these relatives are very
special to him. — Halldóra
and Hertha Rós. Franklin
never married and has no chil-
dren but when he speaks of
these young girls the fatherly
affection he has for them is
obvious. The weathered, often
dour-looking face of this
Interlake farmer softens and
his eyes brighten. He corre-
sponds with them regularly
and when he recited the poem
that he had written for the
conference — Minni íslands
or Ode to Iceland — Halldóra
stood beside him at the
lectem. Franldin’s family want
him to move to Iceland,
become a citizen and live
there. It is a suggestion that he
is giving thought to but not án
easy one to make. His whole
life has been lived here, even
though he has deeply felt ties
to Iceland.
Franldin found more than
an affectionate family in
Iceland, however. He found
that he was achieving recogni-
tion for his work. The senior
editor of Iceland’s largest
newspaper, Morgunblaðið,
spent several hours interview-
ing him and plans to publish
some of his poetry. As well, a
deal is being worked out to
publish some of his work in a
pamphlet, something that is
long overdue not only in
Iceland but especially here at
home.
Here too, he is finally
achieving the celebrity status
that is his due, and he says that
he is beginning to find it a little
embarrassing. He seems a gen-
uinely reticent man with a
strong reluctance to push him-
self forward but his poetry is
appearing more often, in
Lögberg-Heimskringla when
we are lucky enough to pry
something out of him, and the
Icelandic Canadian and other
publications. Their excellence
speaks for themselves and
needs no promotion. We hope
to be able to keep bringing you
his poetry and to keep him
Bard of Riverton c„„rI(f™„P i
humorist a philosopher and a
nationalist, but to us he will
forever be known for Góða
Nótt and Sandy Bar, set to
music by Auður Holm and
Hallgrímur Helgason respec-
tively. In 1975 the sonatta
Sandy Bar was presented in
the Winnipeg Concert Hall.
In 1938 Guttormur visited
Iceland as the official guest of
the government of Iceland
and in 1963 as the guest of
Icelandic Airlines and the
Icelandic National League. In
1939, he received the Distin-
guished Decoration of the
Order of the Falcon; the dec-
oration of Grand Knight
Commander of the Order of
the Falcon with Star. In 1963
he was awarded a gold medal
for the purity of Icelandic in
his speech and writing.”
Guttormur wrote most in
Icelandic and so the body of
his work is available to many
Western Icelanders today
only in translation. Heather
Ireland has published one
such book, Áróra. The monu-
ment to him unveiled in
Riverton this summer will
help in its own way to ensure
that his memory, as well as
his writing, lives on.
T.O.
here among us.
Should he choose to move
to Iceland it will be his roots
that take him there, and per-
haps something else as well.
He describes his first visit to
the home of Hertha Rós: I was
admiring a needlework picture
on the wall. She came and
stood beside me and told me
that her mother had made it. I
asked if she could sew like
that. ‘No, I am just leaming
how to stitch.’ I went out onto
the balcony. She followed me
and asked me if I owned a car.
I said yes. ‘Why didn’t you
bring it with you?’ I explained
that I came from across the
ocean on an airplane. She
thought for a moment, then
said ‘Would you like to stay
and have supper with us
tonight?’ Typical Icelandic
hospitality, and only five-years-
old.”
Two languages, two grow-
ing reputations, two homes —
perhaps after a lifetime of hard
work and more than his share
of illness, things are looking up
for this farmer poet, or, more
accurately, this poet who hap-
pens to be a farmer.
Top photo: Hertha
Above: Halldóra with her grandmother's cat.
—
ICELANDIC LANGUAGE COURSES
FOR HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT
The Icelandic Heritage Language Association will once again offer
Icelandic language classes at the Scandinavian Centre, 764 Erin St.,
Winnipeg. This 3 year course has been approved by the Manitoba
Department of Education and Training, and students will receive one
High School Credit for the successftil completion of each course level.
Each grade level includes 120 hours of classroom language instruction,
as well as Icelandic cultural studies designed to enhance language
acquisition and understanding. Grade levels offered this year:
SENIOR 2 (Grade 10): Introductory Icelandic 20S (Mondays 7-10PM)
SENIOR 3 (Grade 11): Intermedlate Icelandic 30S (Mondays 5-8PM)
A registration fee of $50.00 is required to cover the cost of general
course materials. Students will also be expected to purchase several
general texts required for each course level.
For further information, or to register, please contact
CAROL MOWAT
586-9634